All For One
by ScorpioGirl1987
Summary: Now complete. Takes place after DOBS. While the Gaang seek refuge in the western Air Temple, they run into Zuko, who wants to help them out. Can Zuko help Aang? Will Aang and his friends trust the new Zuko? Maiko, Kataang, Sukka, Teoph.
1. The Letter

…**You guys knew this was coming. –winks- Anyway, this has major DOBS spoilers, so make sure you saw the whole movie! The first two chapters are gonna be songfics. This song is Gotta Go My Own Way from High School Musical 2.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon does. Nor to I own the songs I'm using. I can't write a song parody let alone a song.**

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Chapter 1: The Letter

_**I gotta say what's on my mind **_

_**Something about us **_

_**Doesn't seem right these days **_

_**Life keeps getting in the way **_

_**Whenever we try, somehow the plan **_

_**Is always rearranged **_

_Dear Mai,_

_I'm sorry to leave you hanging like this. Remember, I told you that during the meeting, I wasn't me? It made me realize something: What the heck am I doing? Being waited on hand and foot, palanquin rides, lying to my father, being praised for something I didn't do?_

_I realize I'm the prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne. But the thing is, it's not _who_ I am. It's _what_ I am._

_**It's so hard to say **_

_**But I've gotta do what's best for me **_

_**You'll be ok.**_

_Remember when we were kids? We used to play in the mud together. I wanna be that kid again._

_**I've got to move on and be who I am **_

_**I just don't belong here **_

_**I hope you understand **_

_**We might find our place in this world someday **_

_**But at least for now **_

_**I gotta go my own way **_

_You made a good point about me in Ember Island. I'm impatient, hotheaded, and angry. Over the past seven years ever since my mother left, I tried so hard to figure out exactly who I was. Nothing impressed me at all, even though I never expected it to._

_**Don't wanna leave it all behind **_

_**But I get my hopes up **_

_**And I watch them fall every time **_

_**Another color turns to grey **_

_**And it's just too hard to watch it all **_

_**Slowly fade away **_

_After I was banished, I lie awake every night missing you and our home. The food, the turtleducks, and the volcanoes. I know I'll definitely miss all that when I leave, but I can't stay here._

_**I'm leaving today**_

_**'Cause I gotta do what's best for me **_

_**You'll be ok.. **_

_**I've got to move on and be who I am **_

_**I just don't belong here **_

_**I hope you understand **_

_**We might find our place in this world someday **_

_**But at least for now **_

_**I gotta go my own way **_

_This is why I'm leaving, Mai. I want what's best for me, and that's choosing my own destiny. Avatar Roku was my mother's grandfather. I believe now that it is my destiny to help the Avatar regain balance to the world (Did I mention he's alive? His water tribe friend has healing abilities.)- who, by the way, hate and fear us. I hope you understand._

_**(What about us? **_

_**What about everything we've been through?) **_

_**What about trust? **_

_**You know I never wanted to hurt you **_

_**(And what about me? **_

_**What am I supposed to do?) **_

_**I gotta leave but I'll miss you **_

_**(I'll miss you) **_

_Our relationship means everything to me, Mai. You've given me the best summer of my life so far. I'm going to confront my father today during the eclipse and set things right. Then I'm going to break my uncle out of prison. Hopefully he'll forgive me for all that I've done. I hope you will, too._

_**So I've got to move on and be who I am **_

_**(Why do you have to go?) **_

_**I just don't belong here **_

_**I hope you understand **_

_**(I'm trying to understand) **_

_**We might find our place in this world someday **_

_**But at least for now **_

_**(I want you to stay) **_

_**I wanna go my own way **_

_This isn't good-bye forever. There are things that I need to do. If Azula asks if you heard anything, just tell her she can kiss my ass. I don't care what she and Ozai say anymore. I'm not in business for them. I need my relationship with my father and Azula to be over. I can't keep counting on them to love me._

_**I've got to move on and be who I am **_

_**(What about us?) **_

_**I just don't belong here **_

_**I hope you understand **_

_**(I'm trying to understand) **_

_**We might find our place in this world someday **_

_**But at least for now **_

_**I gotta go my own way **_

_**I gotta go my own way **_

_**I gotta go my own way**_

_Lately, I've come to realize that my father doesn't love me. Hell, he doesn't give a damn about me. I should've realized that the second I woke up in the infirmary after that Agni Kai. _

_I will always love you. And I hope we'll see each other again soon._

_Love,_

_Zuko_

A tear dipped from Mai's cheek onto the parchment. She sniffed, then crumled up the parchment.

'_Why couldn't he just tell me all this to my face?'_ Mai thought angrily. She threw the crumpled up parchment against the wall, then lie on her couch.

Mai fell asleep wondering if she'll ever fall in love again. She took Zuko's note as a breakup.

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**Well, what do you think? In case you haven't figured it out, the lyrics in parentheses ( ( ) ) are Mai's thoughts. The rest are Zuko's thoughts.**

**Read and review please! No flames.**


	2. The Western Air Temple

**Wow, seven reviews? I feel so loved! **

**Firestar's Gal- Yeah, I know. But I really don't know who to trust on TV(dot)com, or anywhere for that matter, because everyone seems so hyped about it. –shrugs-**

**TheAngelFromYourNightmare- LOL I'm glad you like it!**

**Nova- Meh everyone's a critic. People do this with their fanfics all the time, so I didn't think it was that big a deal.**

**nichan- Don't worry. Mai and Zuko will be back together by the end of the story. **

**Ok, I changed my mind about having another songfic in this chapter, but the first half is gonna be monologue, and I'm gonna add quotes at the beginning of some chapters.**

Chapter 2: The Western Air Temple

_Where do we go from here?_

_This isn't where we intended to be_

_We had it all, you believed in me_

_I believed in you_

_-Madonna_

The seven teens were silent as Aang steered Appa to the Western Air Temple. They had just lost their one chance at defeating the Fire Lord. On top of that, the invasion force has been imprisoned. They were on their own again.

Toph was thinking about how her lie detecting skills didn't work on Azula. She was wondering if they would work on anyone else in the royal family.

'_Iroh's part of the royal family'_ Toph thought. _'I could tell _he's_ telling the truth. Maybe Azula's the only one in the Royal Family who is good at lying.'_

Sokka was getting more worried about Suki. Is she okay? Did she really give up on him rescuing her? Is she even still alive?

Katara stared at Aang with a sympathetic look in her eyes. They failed. _Again._ They were doing so well with the Northern Air Temple invasion and the invasion of the North Pole; what happened?

Oh yeah…Azula happened. Katara hated that girl. Long Feng is a sweetheart compared to her.

They got to the temple and landed. Everyone got off (Sokka, Aang, and Haru helped Teo off) and set out to explore the temple.

Aang looked and Katara and sighed inwardly. He loves her, and he kissed her. Aang wasn't sure if she feels the same way. What if she didn't? Not to mention what it would do to their friendship.

The temple was big and bright. Despite being partially destroyed by Sozin's armies, the air temple looked beautiful and somewhat livable.

Katara found Aang wandering in a hallway. "Hey, Ang, I found some bedrooms we can sleep in. Come on!"

Aang let Katara lead him to another hallway lined with enough bedrooms for everyone plus one more. There was a wash room at the end of the hall. Katara took Aang to a vacant one.

Aang managed a smile. "Bed looks comfortable.

Katara returned the smile. "Yeah, it really does."

Aang's expression turned serious. "Katara, what are you doing? You seem so calm after what happened."

Katara sighed. "It's too soon. I'm afraid if I break down now, it'll get worse and I'll do something stupid."

"I understand." Aang put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Thanks, Aang." Katara smiled. She paused. "Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"You kissed me."

Aang blushed and removed his hand to rub the back of his head. "Oh…that."

Katara nodded. "It…well, it caught me off-guard. It was nice."

"Really?" Aang's eyes widened. "I mean, I know I got caught up in the moment, but…"

"Aang…to tell you the truth, I kind of expected it." Katara admitted.

"You were?"

"Yeah." Katara answered. "The way you look at me all the time, you blush around me and smile, Sokka told me you mumble my name in your sleep in a dreamy voice."

Aang blushed deeper. _Sokka, I am going to kill you._

"So, uh…what now?" Aang asked.

"Well…" Katara blushed. "We could…do an activity together."

"Sounds great!" Aang smiled widely.

Katara returned the smile. "I'll make sure the others are distracted."

As soon as Katara left the room, Aang cheered silently and leapt for joy. The avatar sighed happily and fell back on the bed, which was covered in dust. Aang quickly sat up and coughed from the dust.

'_This place really needs to be dusted.'_ Aang thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, back in the Fire Nation, Azula decided to head to the prison tower to visit a certain Kyoshi warrior. Her brother Zuko just betrayed her, and left. Her punishment from her father was to clean the entire palace inside and out by herself.

Needless to say, Azula was pissed. She needed someone to take her anger out on.

"Hello, Suki. Did you miss me?" Azula asked in a mocking tone. Suki didn't look up. Azula smiled evilly. "I saw your boyfriend today. What was his name again? Sokka?"

That got Suki's attention. She looked up half hoping to hear that he's still looking for her.

"He looked good." Azula continued. "When I mentioned your name, he just shrugged and ran off."

Suki's breath caught in her throat. He wouldn't do that…would he? "He wouldn't…" She whispered.

Azula tilted her head a little to the right. "Sorry? I didn't catch that."

"He wouldn't do that." Suki said louder. She began panting angrily. She leapt up and grabbed the bars on her cage. _"He wouldn't do that!"_

Azula didn't flinch. She enjoyed torturing Suki. Smiling, Azula turned and left Suki to crumple to the ground sobbing.

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**Yeah, there's gonna be some Sukka and Maiko drama.**


	3. Surprising Visits

**Wow, this and Road Trip are my most famous fanfics! Anyway, to those of you who asked what the Gaang's reaction will be when Zuko joins up, you'll see in this chapter!**

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Chapter 3: Surprising Visits

Zuko took a deep breath as he steered the ho5t air balloon towards the Western Air Temple. He was almost certain Ang and his friends are going to attack him on the spot after what he did to them.

Zuko went over his plan one more time. He was going to apologize, then explain. If that didn't work, he would plead his worth.

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Aang and Toph were walking around the cliffs.

"So, what do you think of my neck of the woods, Toph?" Aang asked as he spread his arms wide.

"It's okay." Toph replied. "I found a shit load of skeletons and Fire Nation armor in one area, though."

Aang felt uneasy. "Great…"

Katara and Sokka found the duo. "Aang, is there any meat at all around here?"

"Sokka, you're in Air Nomad territory." Aang explained. "There is no meat, as we're vegetarians."

"But meat is good for you!" Sokka protested.

Katara looked out into the horizon. Somet5ihng was approaching the temple. The waterbender's eyes widened as she realized what she saw. "Oh, great spirits."

"What?" The boys and Toph asked.

Aang gasped as he followed Katara's gaze. "Oh, crap! How did they find us?"

"It looks like there's only one person in that balloon." Sokka observed. He **squinted** for a better look. "It's Zuko!"

"What?!" Katara exclaimed. She stumbled forward and lost her footing. Sokka and Aang caught her before she fell.

"Is Zuko the angry jerk you've been talking about?" Toph asked.

"Oh yeah." Sokka answered.

Zuko landed. As soon as he stepped out of the balloon, Toph trapped him in an earth cocoon.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Katara demanded.

"I came to apologize for my behavior." Zuko responded. "If you would just let me explain-"

Sokka interrupted him. "You stalk us all over the world, you threaten me, my sister, and our tribe; you almost kill Aang- the avatar- you kidnap both my sister and Aang, you almost burn down two villages, you almost burn our heads off because Katara offered to help your uncle when he was shot down by Azula, you lie to Katara saying you've changed, you help Azula take control of Ba Sing Se; and you expect us to listen to you and trust you?!"

…_Wow, that sounded a lot worse when he said it._ Zuko thought.

"I know I caused a lot of hell. And I'm sorry." Zuko said sincerely. For what it's worth, I realize now that what I've been doing for the past seven months was wrong and a waste of time."

Toph turned to her friends. "He's telling the truth, guys."

Katara sighed. "Fine. I reserve final judgment. But if you do anything to Aang…I don't care if Toph can tell you're telling the truth. I'll never trust you again!"

"I understand." Zuko replied.

"It's getting late." Aang noted. He looked at Zuko. "I'll give you a room to sleep in. Don't think this conversation is over, though."

"Fair enough."

Toph let Zuko go. Aang led the prince to the extra bedroom.

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In the Fire Nation, some of its' terrain are made of woodlands. Of course, you guys already knew this from watching the Puppetmaster and The Beach, but I'll just continue. The woods are a perfect place for fugitives to hide out in, which is exactly why Iroh chose to stay hidden there.

'_Back to the good times.'_ Iroh thought, remembering himself and Zuko being on the run in the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh made camp and poured himself a cup of tea. He then heard someone walking through the woods and stood up.

"Who's there?" He asked, cautiously. Iroh's eyes widened as he recognized the figure. "Ursa?"

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Aang lay awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. So much has happened today: the failed invasion, the rushed retreat, Zuko showing up at the Air temple…he wondered what would happen next.

_Clang…clang…clang…_

Aang sat up, gasping. _'That's not Combustion Man, is it?' _He thought horribly.

The door slammed open, and a big shadowy figure stood in the doorway. Aang stared and froze in shock and fear as Combustion Man slowly advanced toward him with a knife in his human hand.

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**AAHHH! COMBUSTION MAN RETUUUUUURNNS! O.o XD**

**To quote the author of one of my favorite stories:**

'**Reviews are food for a writers' soul'! So…REVIEW!**

…**Please? **


	4. Explainations

**Firestar's Gal- The answer to all of your questions lie in this chapter… -weird voice- XD**

**Anyway…**

Chapter 4: Explanations

Aang slowly got up from his bed. Maybe if he tried talking things out…

"Ok, listen…I think maybe we got off on the wrong-AAH!" Aang ducked as Combustion Man swung his knife at him. Aang sent a shockwave toward the villain and ran to warn the others.

Katara stepped out into the hall as Aang ran to her. "Aang, what-"

Aang grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. "Run! Combustion Man is after us!"

"Aang…" Katara sighed. She looked behind her nd saw Combustion Man gaining on them. "AAH! How do people keep finding us?!"

"Beats me!"

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Zuko's eyes snapped open as he heard a scream. _'The hell…?'_ He jumped out of bed and ran out to the hall. Combustion Man ran past. Zuko gasped.

'_Crap, I forgot about that guy!'_ Zuko bit his lip in thought.

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Katara and Aang ran down another hallway.

"It's a dead end!" Aang exclaimed.

They turned around. Combustion Man was blocking the exit. Aang and Katara backed up against a wall. Katara took Aang's hand and squeezed it. Each of the two were thinking up a plan.

_Crunch._

Combustion Man stiffened. He started choking as blood oozed from the corners of his mouth. He twitched, then fell over, face down. Combustion Man was dead.

Aang and Katara stared first in shock at Combustion Man's lifeless body, then at the culprit. Zuko pulled his sword from Combustion Man's neck and wiped the blood off.

"You two _really_ have a knack for attracting trouble, don't you?" Zuko half-joked.

Katara managed to speak. "Uh…you…just…"

Sokka, Toph, Haru, and the Duke ran to the hallway.

"Are you guys okay?" Sokka asked Katara and Aang. "I heard screaming!"

"We're fine, Sokka." Aang assured him. "Zuko just saved me and Katara from Combustion Man."

Sokka stared at Zuko who shrugged. "Guilty."

"Um…thanks...I guess." Sokka told him. He was surprised and shocked and grateful.

"No problem." Zuko answered. "We'll talk in the morning."

The group watched Zuko leave. The Duke wrinkled his nose at Combustion Man's body. "Ew…blood."

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The next morning, Katara ventured outside. She found a garden which was surprisingly full of fruit. Katara found a basket and started collecting for breakfast.

"Need help?" Zuko said from a distance.

Katara turned around. "Sure. Thanks."

"No problem." Zuko said. He started picking fruit and putting it in Katara's basket.

"Why did you help me and Aang?" Katara asked. "We're mortal enemies!"

"I know." Zuko replied. "I've done major shit in the past, and I regret it."

"That still doesn't change the fact that everything that happened happened." Katara turned away from Zuko.

"I know." Zuko replied. "I wish we weren't mortal enemies, though. Really."

Zuko continued picking fruit. He seemed so different from the guy Katara knew and hated. She couldn't help staring at him in wonder. Zuko took notice.

"You checking me out?" He asked teasingly.

Katara chuckled. "No. Sorry. It's just that…well…you seem so different from the jerk who chased us all over the world."

"Ah. Let's just say my uncle got to me." He smiled. "I realized yesterday that my honor was useless, and…my father…doesn't love me. My uncle's been like a real father. I treated him like crap."

Katara looked at him with sympathetic eyes. Hey…I'm sure you're your uncle will forgive you. He seems like a forgiving guy."

Zuko smiled. "Thanks."

"How is he? Your uncle, I mean." Katara wondered. "The last time I saw him was when Ang and I excaped from the catacombs at Ba Sing Se."

"He's okay." Zuko replied. "He escaped from jail yesterday. During the eclipse."

"That's great."

"Yeah." Zuko said. He wanted to change the subject. It still hurt that he was too late in breaking Iroh out of jail. "I guess the fact that everything happened didn't change the way everyone feels about me, huh?"

"Well, if they thought that, they're not thinking it today." Katara answered. "Come on. I think we have enough for everyone."

The two headed back inside. Sokka, Aang, Toph, Teo, Haru, and the Duke were already in a circle. They looked up at Zuko and Katara.

"Breakfast!" Katara announced.

Everyone divvied up the fruit and began eating. Something at the back of Sokka's mind was bugging him.

"So, Zuko…you wouldn't…I mean…do you know where the Kyoshi warriors are?"

Toph and Aang looked at Sokka. Katara just looked confused.

"Azula captured Suki." Aang explained to Katara.

"Azula told me she captured some Kyoshi warriors," Zuko told them. "But…I have no idea where they are. Sorry."

Sokka looked crestfallen. "Oh. Thanks anyway."

"If I had to guess, though…she might be in the prison tower near the Fire Nation capital." Zuko included.

Sokka's spirit lifted a little. There as still a chance he could find her.

"She'll be okay, Sokka." Katara assured him. "Suki is strong and resourceful. She'll survive."

"They were supposed to be skilled warriors." Sokka mused.

"Wasn't Dad supposed to be?" Katara asked.

"He was outnumbered." Sokka said. He sighed and walked somewhere.

"Sokka…" Katara stood.

"Katara, please." Sokka said over his shoulder. "I just want to be alone for a while."

Katara sighed and sat down. "Well, I guess I can't say I wasn't expecting that, I mean…both his girlfriend and his father are imprisoned."

"Yeah." Aang replied. He sighed. "I really wnt to make it up to them."

"You will." Everyone was surprised to see Zuko was the one who spoke. "I can tell you everything there is to know about my father, and I can help you defeat him."

"That would be great." Aang said. "But…are you sure? I mean, he's your father."

Zuko ssighed. "Screw him."

Toph's eyes widened. "Wow. He must really suck for you to turn against him."

"You have no idea." Zuko said quietly.

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Iroh woke up and stretched. Ursa looked extremely tired, so he gave her a cup of tea and helped her to bed. The retired general got up and picked some ash bananas from a tree for breakfast.

A few minutes later, Ursa stirred and woke up. She smiled when she saw Iroh.

"I guess I wasn't dreaming, huh?" She half-joked.

"No, you weren't." Iroh chuckled. He gave his ex-sister in law a banana. "So…how have you been?" He wasn't sure how to ask that. "Ozai told me everything."

"Oh…" Ursa bowed her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I loved Azulon. But….Ozai was going to kill Zuko as punishment."

Iroh sighed. "Everything turned upside down after you left, Ursa. By the time I got back to the palace, everything changed. Zuko was serious. It was like someone took a small amount of his heart from him. And Ozai was Fire Lord."

Ursa was silent for a moment. "How is he? Zuko?"

Iroh paused. He really didn't want to tell Ursa everything, but she was his mother. She has a right to know. "Zuko was banished almost three and a half years ago."

"Why? What happened?" Ursa asked, concerned.

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"Can I ask you something?" Katara asked Zuko. They were still sitting around a circle with their friends.

"Sure."

"How did you get banished in the first place?"

Haru raised an eyebrow. "A little personal, Katara."

"It's okay." Zuko waved it off. "When I was thirteen…my uncle let me sit in a war meeting. The generals were talking about sacrificing an entire battalion of new recruits as decoys. I spoke out and told them they can't do that."

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"After Zuko spoke out, the Fire Lord grew angry at him." Iroh began to explain. ""The general told him that Zuko speaking out was an act of complete disrespect. Zuko told the general he was not afraid. The only way to solve that was…"

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"…an Agni Kai. A fire duel." Zuko was saying. "When I showed up to fight, I discovered that my father was my real opponent. Most kids get grounded and sent to their room for speaking out: my punishment was an Agni Kai."

Everyone looked either shocked or concerned. "Damn…" Toph muttered.

"So, did you fight?" Katara asked.

"No. I refused to." Zuko responded.

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"You can imagine what happened next." Iroh said. "Ozai…burned Zuko across the face and banished him until he came back with the Avatar."

Ursa stared for a minute. Then her eyes rolled to the back of her head as Ursa fell in a dead faint.

"…That went well." Iroh said to himself sarcastically.

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"So you were banished for standing up for what you believe in?" Katara asked, slightly miffed. "I can't believe you! Why the hell would you stick to your father even after he freaking burned half your face off and banished you?":

"Remember, I was thirteen." Zuko tried to reason. "I was very loyal to my father. But I put all that behind me. Even…" His voice trailed off.

"Your mother?" Katara guessed.

"No. She left _me_ behind."

"I thought you said she died." Katara said.

"She didn't. She was banished." Zuko explained. "My uncle was supposed to be the Fire Lord. He and his son were sent to battle in the earth kingdom. My cousin died in battle about seven years ago. My uncle fell apart. My father took the opportunity, and asked my grandfather to renounce Iroh's birthright. He was punished. His punishment was to kill me. My mother found out and formed a plan for my father to become Fire Lord. She was banished for killing my grandfather."

"Wow." Sokka said. "Your family's a lot more dysfunctional than I thought."

Zuko chuckled. "Yeah."

"So, who did you leave behind?" Asked Aang.

"Mai." Zuko answered. "My girlfriend."

"Why didn't she come with you?"

"I couldn't bring her along." Replied Zuko. "I didn't want her top have to make a choice so quickly. She's…she's one of my sister's friends."

"The flying dagger throwing girl?" Asked Sokka.

"Yeah. The very same." Zuko answered. "She was the only person who could count on and lean on this summer. She was my comfort. Mai knows how to make me feel better. She makes me happy." _'I love her.' _He added silently.

"I know how it feels to leave behind someone you care about." Aang responded. "It's hard."

"Yeah." Zuko whispered. He decided to change the subject again. "So, don't mind my asking. What do you guys plan on doing now?"

"We actually haven't thought of one yet." Aang admitted. "I _do_ need a firebending teacher. And we need to plan on defeating the Fire Lord and rescue the invasion force."

"I could teach you firebending." Zuko responded. "I'd be happy to."

"Thanks!" Aang said, grateful. "When should we start?"

"We can start now." Zuko stood up. Aang followed.

"There's a field out back we can practice on." Aang said.

Katara smiled as she watched the two head out back. Things were looking up now that they have a firebender on their side.

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**Man, that as long! X-x Anyway, there's going to be a surprise pairing near the end of this fanfic. I'll give you a hint: they're both adults.**


	5. Planning

**Ok, for those of you who guessed: No, it's not Iroh/Ursa. You got the "Ursa" part right, though! ;;**

Chapter 5: Planning

"You have failed me for the last time, Princess Azula."

Azula was kneeling before her father in the throne room. He couldn't tell, but Azula was worried. Why? Because being Fire Lord was her dream. She was not going to give up just because her brother decided to join the Avatar.

"Yes, Father." She answered.

Ozai continued. "Both Iroh and Zuko are traitors. Once they are apprehended, they will be punished. Severely."

"Of course, Father."

"You are on probation until your brother and uncle are found and captured." Ozai said to his daughter. "If you ever lie to me again, you will receive the same fate as your brother."

Azula's breath caught in her throat. _'No…not banishment! Well, I'm just gonna have to make sure I'm not caught this time. Stupid scar-faced tattle tale…'_ She swallowed. "Yes, Father."

"Good. Dismissed."

Azula stood and left the room. She was getting worried, and tha6t is rare in her caser.

'_Dammit, Zuko, you are_ so _dead when I get my hands on you!'_ Azula thought, angrily.

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Mai lay on her couch lazily as she threw her knives around. The front door slammed open. Mai sat up and saw Azula marching toward her; her eyes red from crying.

"Where's Zuko?" Azula whispered.

Mai sighed. "Hell if I know."

"He left." Azula's voice started to shake. "Zuko left! Without a note! My father told me he was going to join the Avatar. Oh, I forgot- _he told my father I lied to him!_ How could he do that to me? After all I've done for him!"

Mai stood up. She noticed her friend was shaking with anger and hurt and sadness. "Azula, calm down. I'm sure Zuko-"

Azula pointed a finger at Mai. "_Don't_ mention that traitor to me! I just…Agni, I don't get how things are great one month, then it all turns to crap the next!"

"Okay, just…calm down. Have a seat." Mai guided Azula to the couch. They sat down.

Azula sniffed and wiped away her tears. "He got to him."

"To Zuko?" Mai guessed. "Who?"

"Iroh." Azula answered. "He steered him from loyalty for my father…and me."

This was too much for Mai. She sighed. "Azula, this isn't you. Why do you even care that Zuko's gone? I'd have thought you'd be happy."

"That's not the point, Mai."

"Then what is?"

Azula regained her composure. "I really…I mean…he really hurt me by leaving, you know? I respected him, I did everything I could to make sure he got what he wanted. I pulled strings!"

"Hey, he hurt me too." Mai said. "Listen, do you want to go to town and scare little kids? I know that would make you feel better."

Azula smiled. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two girls stood and left the house. Azula turned to her friend. "Mai?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Mai smiled. "You're welcome. Now, can we please drop the mushy act?"

Azula chuckled. "With pleasure."

XXXXXXXXXX

While Aang and Zuko were training, the rest of the group sat in a circle. They were planning on what to do next.

"We can free the prisoners." Teo suggested.

"How, though?" Asked Sokka. "We're just kids. We only have the avatar, one waterbender, two earthbenders, a firebender, one warrior, and two others."

"'Others'?" The Dulke asked, slightly offended.

"No offense, Duke, but can you fight at all?" Asked Sokka.

"No, not really…"

"Then why the hell were you in the Freedom Fighters?"

"They gave me a place to stay!"

"Okay, guys," Katara stepped in. She didn't want another argument to break out. "We have exactly seven weeks until the comet. That's seventy-seven days. Aang needs to master firebending and defeat the Fire Lord in that amount of time."

"Wait, seven weeks?" Sokka asked. Katara nodded. "Okay, we're screwed."

"No we're not, Sokka." Katara assure him. "Don't forget: we have the Fire Lord's son on our side now. He can tell us everything there is to know about his father!"

"Yeah!" Toph agreed. "His powers, his weak points, his strong pints…you know, having Zuko around might not be such a bad idea."

Haru nodded. "True. That solves the Fire Lord problem, but what about the prisoners?"

"Maybe we can have two groups." Sokka suggested. "One group will help Aang break though the palace, and another will break the prisoners out!"

"A lot of breaking." Toph joked.

"Yep." Sokka pulled out the lotus tile Piandao gave to him and started playing with it. Zuko and Aang joined the group.

"Hey, guys." Katara greeted the two. "How did training go?"

"Better than I expected." Aang answered." I just did stances and movements."

"It's better to at least know the moves before you shoot fire." Zuko explained. "That way you won't accidently burn anything."

"Nice." Katara commented. "We were just talking about what we should do about the prisoners and your dad."

"Oh, that's right! I still have to face…well, you know." Aang said.

"Yeah. Zuko, you wouldn't happen to know your dad's weaknesses and strengths, would you?" Asked Toph,

"Yep. He's crippled." Zuko told them.

"What? How?" Asked Sokka.

"A few years after I was born, he went into battle." Zuko explained. "Things kind of fireballed out of control. Some heavy piece of machinery fell on his hip, and they had to send him home. He's been walking with a slight limp ever since.":

Toph chuckled and turned to Sokka.. "And you gave _Zuko_ a hard time?"

"Okay, that's enough, Toph." Katara said. "So he can only firebend with his hands."

"Yeah, but he can also shoot lightning."

Aang gaped. "Oh…well…aw, man!"

Zuko shrugged. He noticed Sokka playing with the lotus tile. "Where'd you get that?"

"Oh, this?" Sokka held up the tile. "I learned how to use a sword from Piandao- the greatest swordsman in the Fire Nation. I always found it weird he gave me this. He has a lotus tile imprint on his door."

Zuko's eyes widened. His brain hatched an idea. "Sokka? Have you ever heard of the Order of the White Lotus?"

XXXXXX

Iroh and Ursa were walking along the forest. They stopped three times a day to eat, then slept at night.

Ursa sighed. "Iroh? I want to see Zuko."

Iroh stopped in his tracks. _'Damn it…' _He thought. "Ursa, let me tell you something about Zuko. I don't think you'll like it."

"Okay."

"The Avatar's bison went missing. In Ba Sing Se, he put up posters of the missing bison. Zuko found out and he went after it. I told him to stop the madness and figure out what he wants in life. He got sick from the war raging inside. When he got better, he became more cheerful and respectful. Then Azula arrived in Ba Sing Se and captured him when Zuko went to face her. When the avatar and I found him in the catacombs, I told him he was not the man he used to be. I told him to choose the good side. Guess what happened? He chose Azula. He helped her take control of Ba Sing Se and take down the Avatar."

Ursa looked slightly taken aback. "Well, there you go. It was Azula's fault he-"

"It was not Azula's fault. It was his own. He could've gone against Azula's offer to join her he didn't!" Iroh said, exasperated. "I try so hard to keep Zuko from falling off the face of the earth, and what does he do? He betrays me!"

Ursa stood still. She couldn't believe what she heard. "Iroh…I understand what you're saying. But I want to hear Zuko's side of the story."

Iroh just shook his head. "We better keep moving."

"May I ask where we're going?" Ursa asked.

"You'll see."

'_Same old Iroh.'_ Ursa thought.

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**Ooooooohh, where is Iroh leading Ursa to? Read to find out!**


	6. The Order of the White Lotus

**Thanks, guys! I feel I went a little fast with Katara and Sokka trusting Zuko, and Zuko automatically starting to teach Aang firebend, but…ah well.**

**And the reason Azula was like that last chapter was because…THINGS DID NOT GO HER WAY! O--------o XD I thought that's how she would react, because there was a sketch at the comic con of Azula looking extremely pissed about something.**

**Well, enough of that crap. On with the fanfic!**

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Chapter 6: The Order of the White Lotus

"So, let me get this straight…"

Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Teo, The Duke, Haru, and Zuko were all piled on Appa heading towards a small Fire Nation village. Iroh previously told Zuko where other Order headquarters are, so that is where they were going.

Sokka continued. "We're going to some secret society, which I'm apparently initiated in, and we're going to get their help?"

Zuko nodded. "Look, I know it's crazy and hard to believe, but some people in the Fire Nation are _against_ Ozai. Every single firebender is either in the army unless they've been sent home, or working in factories, or just working in general. It didn't _use_ to be that way. People actually _had_ choices."

"So I'm guessing the army takes it out on innocent people." Katara stated. "Like the Southern Water Tribe and random Earth Kingdom villages."

"Pretty much." Zuko replied. "Thus also the reason my father sent me to hunt Aang down."

"We went undercover at a school." Aang said. Katara and Sokka both glared at him.   
"Okay, _I_ went undercover. I found out that dancing isn't permitted. They have no freedom or fun."

"Were you taught why Sozin started the war?" Zuko asked.

"No." Aang answered. "But Avatar Roku showed me why. Sozin started the war because he wanted to share the Fire Nation with the rest of the world. At least that's the way I saw it."

"That was it." Said Zuko. "Things got out of control. Sozin wanted power, and so did the fire lord after him- Azulon."

"Was Azula named after him or something?" Toph asked.

Zuko nodded. Aang noticed a small town ahead of them.

"Hey, is that it?" Aang pointed downward.

Zuko also looked down. "Yep, that's it."

Appa landed. Everyone got off. Before Aang started walking Sokka stopped him.

"Wait, Aang. We need to get back into our Fire Nation disguises." He stated. "It'll look kind of weird if two Water Tribe citizens, four Earrth Kingdom citizens, and the Avatar waltzing into a Fire Nation town just after an invasion."

"Oh, yeah."

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph all changed into their Fire Nation disguises. Zuko addressed Teo, the Duke, and Haru.

"I have some money with me. I'll get you some clothes." He said.

"Thanks." Haru replied.

Zuko walked into the village. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph finished changing.

"Hey, where'd Zuko go?" Asked Toph.

"He went to find me, Teo, and the Duke some Fire Nation clothes." Haru answered. "That was nice of him."

Katara nodded. "It was, indeed."

Zuko came back about twenty minutes later with clothes. Haru, Teo, and the Duke changed into them, and the eight teens set off.

"Ok, there's a restaurant we need to go to." Zuko told them. "There's gonna be someone sitting at a table by himself with a Pai Sho set in front of him." He turned to Sokka. "Ask him if you may have that game…"

XXX

A few more minutes later in a restaurant, Sokka approached a man in a corner. A Pai Sho set was on the table in front of him. Taking a deep breath, Sokka pulled out his lotus tile.

"Hi. May I have this game?" Sokka asked.

The man gestured for Slokka to sit. "The guest has the first move."

Sokka complied, and set the lotus tile on the board.

"I see you favor the white lotus tile." The man observed.

"Oh, yeah. It's a cool tile." Sokka replied.

The two started playing. The rest of the group sat at a nearby table, watching Sokka and the man play. About a half our later, both sides of the board evenly matched. The man smiled and stood up and bowed to Sokka.

"Welcome to the Order of the White Lotus."

Sokka stood up and returned the bow. "Thanks."

The man gestured for Sokka to follow him. "Follow me, please."

Sokka glanced back towards his friends then followed the man. Zuko sighed.

"We mighty as well order some food. This is gonna take a while."

XXXXX

Sokka followed the man into a big room dimly lit by candles. A big, rectangular table sat in the middle. There were eleven people seated at the table.

"Master, we have a new initiate." The man Sokka followed said and bowed.

The man sitting at the end of the table smiled and stood up. "Welcome. It's been a long time since we had a new teenage initiate. Are you a bender?"

"No." Sokka answered. "But, I'm good with swords."

The Master nodded. "What is your name?"

Sokka stopped for a second. He thought about using his real name, but would they accept him if he's Water Tribe? The Master seemed to read his mind.

"The Order accepts any who are against this war, and will do anything to stop it."

"Really?" Sokka asked. "That's great! I mean…my name is Sokka. I'm from the southern Water Tribe. I'm traveling with the Avatar."

"Nice to meet you, Sokka. My name is Shang." The Master said. He bowed again. "Come, have a seat."

Sokka sat down at an empty place at the table. "So, uh, what exactly is the Order of the White Lotus?"

"The Order of the White Lotus was formed five years after the war started." Shang began to explain. "It was founded by my grandfather. He started the Order when his brother was killed for treason. He uh….he married an Air Nomad nun. She was killed after having her firstborn. The Order of the White Lotus was formed to help the victims and prisoners of war. We protect and hide those who are banished and on the run. There are over five hundred Order members in the Fire Nation, and almost a thousand in the Earth Kingdom."

Sokka was amazed by this. "Wow….so basically, you guys are a resistance against Ozai?"

"Exactly." Shang replied. "We don't accept just anyone, though. You have to be able to keep a secret, and you have to be fully against this war."

"I can definatly keep a secret." Sokka insisted. "And I don't think I can be any more against this war than I already am. The Fire Nation killed my mother. My father and my girlfriend are imprisoned along with the Black Sun invasion force. I'll do anything I can to help stop this war."

"Do you have anything in mind?" Shang asked, interested.

"Well, we could start a rebellion." Sokka suggested. "Maybe a peasant uprising. The prince of the Fire Nation turned against his father in hopes to help the Avatar take down Fire Lord Ozai."

"A rebellion sounds like an excellent idea." Said Shang.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the restaurant, the rest of the gang was finishing up their food. Toph sighed in boredom.

"How long is this meeting going to take?!" She asked impatiently.

"Calm down, Toph. Patience is a virtue." Haru told her.

"Zuko, can you tell us about Azula? Like, what can we use against her?" Katara asked.

"Our mother thought she was a monster- which is true, but it still hurt her." Zuko replied. Telling all this stuff about his father and sister to the Avatar and his friends…was actually starting to feel good. All that anger and hate towards those two. "She cares about her friends and our dad-"

"Which was why she stalled us during the eclipse." Aang pointed out. "She was protecting her father."

"Yep, sounds like Azula." Zuko responded. "She has to have everything her way, and will do anything to get what she wants. Loyalty is important to her. If you betray her, you might as well sign your death warrant."

"Uh…you mean like _you_ basically did?" Aang piped up.

Before Zuko responded, Sokka returned.

"Hey, meeting's done." Sokka announced.

"So what now?" Asked Aang.

"We are starting a rebellion." Sokka replied, grinning.

"Hell yeah!" Toph pumped both her fists.

"Who's leading it?" Asked Zuko.

Sokka looked at Zuko and grinned harder. Zuko realized who he was talking about.

"No. No way." Zuko said. "I'm a traitor to the Fire Nation. What makes you think people will listen to me?"

"You said not everyone is with the Fire Lord." Sokka reminded Zuko. "I don't know about Fire Nation politics much, but from what I hear, Ozai is an evil dictator. The Fire Nation needs someone who can put an end to this war. And since you're the crown prince anyway, Zuko; I vote you as the next Fire Lord. You can pout an end to this war."

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when you try to convince the Fire Prince to lead a rebellion, Sokka!" Toph exclaimed. "You have a good point though."

"I agree." Aang pugt in. "The four- well, three, I guess- nations are meant to be four separate nations. It's not fair to us if the Fire Nation controls the whole world."

"I'm in." Katara agreed. She and everyone else looked at Zuko.

The prince smiled. "Okay, you've convinced me." He raised his glass. "To creating an era of peace and kindness?"

"Hear, hear!" The group chorused and clunk their cups.

"You kind of over did it with the peace and kindness part…" Sokka commented to Zuko. The prince just smiled and shrugged.

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**-sings- A new Fire Nation, the chains of the masses untied…**

…**-cough- Yeah. Heh. **

**REVIEWS ARE FOOD FOR A WRITER'S SOUL! –runs-**


	7. Working This Out

1**So... apparantly DungBuFeng or whatever revealed that episode 3.13 will be either The Fire Lady, the White Lotus, and a few other things; so I guess including the White Lotus in my story is a good idea! **

**BTW, I added a new poll on my profile. Check it out!**

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Chapter 7: Working This Out

Over the next two weeks, Aang and his friends talked to random villagers and turned (or at least tried to turn) them against Ozai,. Zuko talked to a few, told them his story. Some where sympathetic, some weren't.

Sokka also planned with the White Lotus the breakout of all prisoners of war here in the Fuire Nation and in the Eartth Kingdom. Shang sent the White Lotus leader in the Earth Kingdom to let him know of the plan. In order to earn more money, Sokka, Haru, Zuko, and Katara all got jobs. Y got along with their co-workers and talked to them about the rebellion. If anyone betrays them, they'd lie.

Meanwhile, Aang was still learning firebending from Zuko. He mastered the basics after ten days of learning it. That was expected, since Aang's mastered firebending before.

"Damn, Aang!" Zuko exclaimed, impressed. "If Azula wasn't an evil bitch, I'd say you two would get along! You are a prodigy just like her."

"Well, I wouldn't say 'prodigy..." Aang said modestly.

Sokka walked in on them. "Aang, stop being modest. It took you like ten minutes to learn waterbending!"

"Well..." Aang blushed.

Changing the subject, Zuko sid, "So, how many people have we convinced?"

"A lot." Sokka answered. "Nearly half the towm. We're on a roll here!"

"That's great!" Aang exclaimed excitedly. "We should probably geta move on with other towns, though."

"Yeah." Sokka agreed. "Let's stay one more night, then tomorrow, we can quit our jobs and move on."

"Wait, quitting sounds suspicious." Zuko pointed out. "Why don't we just lave town. Or two of us can quit while the other two can just...play hooky. By which, I mean skip town."

So, thus, Haru and Katara quit their jobs while Sokka and Zuko just didn't go. All eight piled onto the bison and flew to the next town.

"Okay...so our plan is to go to a town and convince the people to rebel against Fire Lord Oldzai-"

Sokka interrupted Toph by cracking up. "Oldzai? Oh my spirits..."

Toph glared at Sokka. "As I was saying: our plan is to town-hop and tell people to rebel?"

Zuko nodded. Then he remembered Toph can't see. "Yeah, it is the plan."

"But how are we going to visit forty towns in five weeks?" Teo asked. "That's kind of cutting close, isn't it?"

"We're not visiting all forty towns." Explained sokka. "We're just going to every town we've been to ever since landing here in the Fire Nation."

"Ah." Teo nodded in understanding. "Where to first?"

Appa landed near a familiar cave.

"This," Katara addressed Zuko, Teo, the Duke, and Haru. "Is where Aang went undercover at a school. We already loosened up some of the kids by throwing them a dance party, so hopefully, they'll listen."

XXXX

The gang arrived at the school. Evryone was outside at recess. Aang spotted An Ji talking to some friends. The Avatar airbended An Ji's papers near him so she'll grab them. Sure enough, An Ji gasped then chased after her papers.

"Pssst! An Ji!" Aang whispered loudly. "Over here!"

"An Ji walked over to where Aang was. She was bewildered.

"Kuzon?" An Ji asked. "What...how...what are you doing here?"

Aang stepped into the light. "Okay, first of all; my name's not Kuzon. It's Aang. I'm the Avatar."

An Ji gasped and stepped back a few paces. "What?! Why didn't you tell me? Why are you here?"

"I got struck by lightning in the Earth Kingdom capital a few months ago by the Fire Nation princess." Aang explained. He explained why he was in hiding, the invasion, and the rebellion.

Not surprisingly, An Ji waas surprised and shocked. "So you and the Fire Nation prince are starting a rebellion against the Fire Lord?"

"Yes. We need all the help and support we can get." Aang replied. "Listen, are you a firebender?"

"Yeah."

"And how do you feel about every single firebender being forced to do some kind of work?" Asked Aang.

An Ji paused for a second. "It's...pretty unfair."

Aang nodded. "That's why we need to do something about it. Now...what do you say?"

"Ku...Aang, I don't know." An Ji replied, hesitantly. "I-I mean...we could be banished or worse for this!"

"Not if we have enough peasants for an uprising." Aang assured her. "By then, I'll be at the Fire Lord's palace taking him down! Please, trust me on this."

An Ji sighed. She was silent for a minute, then smiled. "Okay, count me in."

"Great!" Aang smiled. "Think you can convince your classmates to join?"

"I'll try." An ji replied. "Thanks, Aang. I won't let you down."

"No problem. Thank you." Aang answered. "I better go. We're on kind of a tight schedule."

"Eh, I should go, too." An Ji replied. "Bye. It was nice seeing you again."

"You too." Aang bowed politely and ran off.

"How'd it go?" Asked Katara as aang returned.

"It went great." Aang replied. "I talked to An Ji, and everything's good. She's going to talk some her classmates into joining up."

"Terriffic." Said Sokka. "Now, onto the fishing village!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Iroh, seriously, where are we going?"

Ursa and Iroh have been traveling for tw weeks now. They were headed to some village. The same village our gang was in when they contacted the White Lotus society.

"The Order of the White Lotus." Iroh answered. "I've been a member for five years now."

"What is that, a Pai Sho club?"

"No, on the contrary, it's an anti-war club." Replied the retired general."You will see when we get there."

The two went into the resturant. Iroh played Pai Sho with the same guy Sokka played with and went into the meeting. Ursa waited patiently in the resturant.

"You've come just in time, Iroh." Shang said after he greeted him. "A couple of weeks ago, we had a new initiate. He thought up rebellion against Fire Lord Ozai. He's already convinced this town."

Iroh raised his eyebrows. _A rebellion? Already?_ "Who was this new initiate?"

"His name is Sokka, I believe." Shang answered. "He's from the Southern Water Tribve."

Sokka? Why does that name sound so familiar? Thought Iroh. "What kind of rebellion? A peeasant uprising?"

Shang nodded. "Yes. We're also going to invade the palace and free all those who have been imprisoned."

"Sounds like a plan." Iroh mused. "When is the invasion?"

"In approximately two weeks."

XXXX

Well, we haven't seen Azula, Mai, or Ty Lee in a while. Let's check up with them!

Azula was pacing around her bedroom. Ty Lee was on her bed.

"It's ben three weeks, Ty Lee." Azula vented. "_Still_ no letter from Zuko, and Mai hasn't said _anything_! It's like she doesn't trust me anymore!"

"Well, Zuko _is_ her boyfriend." Ty Lee pointed out/.

"So?! I'm her best friend! I've been her best friend longer than Zuko has been her boyfriend!" Azula groaned in frustration. Then her wheels started turning. "If she won't talk to me...maybe...she'll talk to _you_!"

Ty Lee shrugged. "Maybe!"

"Great! So you'll talk to her?" Azula asked. Ty Lee knew very well that was not a request. She stood.

"I'm on my way."

Azula smiled. "Thanks, Ty Lee. Report back as soon as possible."

"Okayt!" The acrobat left the room.

XXXXXXX

Ty Lee went over to Mai's. Mai was just getting ready cor lunch when Ty Lee came.

"Hey, Ty." Mai greeted. "Come in."

"Thanks." Ty Lee stepped into the house. "I was just over at Azula's, and I thought I'd come by."

"Oh." Mai responded. "Do you want something to eat? I was just having lunch."

"Sure!" Ty Lee said eagerly. The two sat down. Ty Lee remembered the reason she came over. "So, how have you been? You know, since Zuko left?"

Mai sighed. "Ty Lee, you asked me this last week, the week before that, and the week before _that_. I'm fine."

"Okay, sorry." Ty Lee put up her hands in surrender. "It's just that...we haven;'t heard anything from him, and we were wondering if you-"

"'We'?" Mi raised an eyebrow.

Ty Lee almost chocked on her food. "I mean me! Heh. Sorry."

Too late. Mai was already suspicious. "Did Azula put you up to this?"

"What? No!"

Mai grabbed Ty Lee's wrist and dragged her to the door. "You know what? You can just tell that psychotic princess I don't know shit, now get off my back!" With that, Mai slammed the door in Ty Lee's face.

Azula watched Mai's house from her room with a telescope. She could see Ty Lee stumbling out of the house. Mai slammed the door in Ty Lee's face. Azula stiffened. _'Crap, did she blow her cover?'_ She watched as ty Lee slumped her shoulder, threw her head back, then walked back toward the palace.

Azula groaned and smacked her frehead.

'_Is Agni punishing me or something? Oh well. If you want something done right, you got to do it yourself.'_

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**Yeah...don't worry, I'm going somewhere with Ozai's Angels. ;;**


	8. Of Fights, Secrets, and Decisions

1**Geez, are spelling errors all you guys notice? XD JK LOL I do have a spell-checker, but sometimes I miss words.**

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Chapter 8: Of Fights, Secrets, and Decisions

Mai walked to Ty Lee's apartment. She had some apologizing and explaining to do.

"Oh. Hey, Mai." Ty Lee greeted her friend politely as she answered the door. "Come in."

Mai walked into Ty Lee's apartment. Ty Lee had pink furniture and pink decoratives, which made Mai blink a few times in order to adjust to the light. She sat down on the couch.

"Listen, I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday." Mai said sincerely. "I guess Zuko's hotheaded-ness is starting to rub off on me."

Ty Lee chuckled at that. "Yeah, pretty much. What set you off like that?"

Mai sighed. "I am sick of Azula bugging me about hearing from Zuko. It's like she thinks everything is her business. Like it would benefit her."

"Well, Zuko is her brother." Ty Lee reminded Mai. "She has a right to know. I mean...if you _did_ hear about anything."

"I _did_ hear about something." Mai said after a minute.

"What?" Ty Lee asked in a hushed voice.

"Ty Lee, can you keep a secret? Especially from Azula?" Mai asked. Ty Lee nodded. "Okay...Zuko left me a note saying that he's going against his father and joining the Avatar."

Ty Lee gasped in shock. "What?! Why on this green earth would he do that?"

"He said he didn't belong here. At least not while his father is leading the Fire Nation." Mai explained. "Apparently, his uncle got to him."

"Agni..." Ty Lee shook her head. "I can't believe he left! Does Azula know?"

"No. That's why I asked you to keep this a secret." Mai answered. "I don't want to cause hell by telling Azula this."

Ty Lee sighed. "I really don't like keeping secrets, Mai."

"You just said you would!" Mai exclaimed.

"I still don't like keeping them. I never said I wouldn't!" Ty Lee shot back. "I'll keep this a secret, okay? I promise."

"Okay. Thank you." Mai replied. She sighed. "I just hope he's okay."

"I'm sure he is." Ty Lee consoled her friend. "Maybe he found his uncle already, and they're on the run together again."

Mai shrugged and smiled. "Maybe."

XXXXXXX

"All right, now concentrate on your target..."

Zuko was teaching Aang how to aim for his target without actually burning it. The "target" was actually a tree stump with Aang's noodle picture of Ozai taped to it.

Aang focused on the picture. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. He got into his stance and thrust his fist forward. Yellow flames shot out of Aang's fist and hit the noodle drawing.

"Good job!" Zuko said, impressed. "Now it's time to test your strength."

Aang looked apprehensive. "Okay..."

"Usually, if a Firebender mastered his or her basics, their master test their pupil using basic firebending in order to test their strength. If the pupil wins, he moves on. If he doesn't, he continues his basic firebending training until he masters it." Zuko explained.

"Well, if it's part of training..." Aang rubbed the back of his head. "When do you want to do it?"

"We're dueling at sunset. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Okay." Aang said half-heartedly.

XXXX

Later that evening, the group headed to n open field where Zuko and Aang would have their Agni Kai. Toph, Sokka, Haru, Teo, and the Duke already made bets on who would win.

"My vote is on Zuko." Toph held up a small bag of coins.

"You kidding?" Sokka snorted. "Aang will win!"

"I'm with Aang, too." Haru piped up. He gave Sokka a few gold coins.

"I actually think Zuko's going to win." Said Teo. He gave Toph his goggles.

"Yeah, same here." The Duker said as he gave Toph his helmet.

"Katara, who are you voting for?" Sokka asked.

"I'm not." Katara said simply. "I'll be handling the bets."

"What?" Toph said confused.

Katara took the helmet, goggles, and money and kept them at her side. "If Zuko wins, I'll give the goggles and money to Sokka, Haru, and the Duke. If Aang wins, I'll give the money to Teo and Toph."

They groaned in protest. "Oh, come on, Katara!"

"Fair is fair, Sokka." Katara replied. "Besides, this is kind of fun!"

Sokka glared at Toph. "You had to start the bet."

"Oh, hush." Toph sent a small shockwave to Sokka.

Aang and Zuko got into their positions. After Katara shouted "Go!", the duel began! Aang shot a huge fireball at Zuko, who dodged and sent a fireball at Aang's feet. Aang jumped to avoid the blast.

"Hey! No airbending during a fire duel!" Sokka shouted.

"I wasn't, Sokka!" Aang yelled back.

"Oh. Sorry!"

Aang shot a wave of fire at Zuko's feet. Zuko backed away a few paces, then tripped. Aang threw another fireball, which caused Zuko to fall to the ground.

Sokka, Haru, and the Duke cheered for Aang. Aang ran over to Zuko and pointed his fist at him.

"Well, Master Zuko, what do you think?" Asked Aang.

Zuko smiled and got up. "I think you mastered the basics!"

"Go, Twinkletoes!" Toph pumped her fist.

"I'm really proud of you, Aang." Katara said to him.

Aang blushed. "Thanks."

"Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds at it." Zuko half-joked. "See you in the morning, Aang."

"Okay. And we're not lovebirds!" Aang said after Zuko.

"Liar." Toph commented.

Aang glared at Toph. "I hate it when you do that."

"You'll get over it!" Toph responded. She laughed, then headed off.

Katara chuckled. "It's okay, Aang."

Aang smiled. "Hey, I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" Katara looked surprised. "What?"

Aang pointed to a small plateau some feet away. "Meet me on that plateau n thirty minutes.:"

"Okay." Katara nodded. Ang sped off. "What is he up to?"

"I think I know." Zuko smiled.

"What?"

"Secluded plateau, sunset, beautiful view..." Zuko explained. "That screams 'date', my friend." Zuko stopped. He hasn't used that word in years. Katara looked shocked as well. Both at Zuko referring her as a friend, and the fact that he said that Aang just asked her out on a date. But didn't she suggest doing an activity?

"Wait, how do you know it's a date?" Katara asked, rasing an eyebrow.

"Because I did the exact same thing with Mai earlier this summer." Zuko replied. He sighed as he thought about Mai. Is she okay?

Katara seemed to have read Zuko's mind. "Do you miss her?"

"A lot." Zuko admitted.

"Then you should go back to her." Katara advised. "The invasion will be at the royal palace anyway. You can meet up with us there."

"If I'm caught with her, she could be in danger." Zuko argued. "I can't let that happen."

"Good point." Katara responded. "Well, you think about it. I'm going to get ready for my 'date'."

Zuko watched Katara walk off. _'She makes it sound so easy...maybe...maybe I could sneak a visit'_. Katara _did_ have a point. The invasion's going to be at the palace. Maybe he could convince Mai to join the invasion force.

He'll sleep on it.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Aang set up a picnic for him and Katara. They ate and watched the sun set.

Katara sighed in awe. "It's so beautiful up here."

"Not as beautiful as you." Aang said shyly.

Katara blushed. "So, how's firebending training going?"

"I'm learning a lot of stuff." Aang replied. "Zuko's a geat teacher, which is ironic, because he used to chase me around the world."

They both laughed at that. Aang's thoughts drifted to the approaching invasion. Katara noticed.

"Are you worried?" Katara asked. "About the invasion, I mean."

"Yeah. What if I fail again?" Aang vented. "I failed two times in a row. I'll bet that's a record for an avatar."

"I doubt past Avatars had to deal with an Azula." Katara tried to console her friend. "But, we're doing so good now. With Zuko on our side, we have half the nation against Ozai now. And from what Zuko told us, he turned Ozai and Mai- her best friend- against her."

"True." Aang nodded. "Azula must be in extremely hot water with her dad right now for lying to him about who...ah...defeated me."

"See? That's the kind of optimism I'd like to hear!" Katara laughed. "Listen...I believe in you. I believe you can defeat Ozai and Azula and save the the world. And if you believe something strong enough...it will come true."

Aang blushed and smiled. "Okay. I believe. I believe that I can save the world by defeating both Azula and Ozai."

"Well, if Suki turns out to be dead, you won't _have_ to deal with Azula." Katara joked. She winked.

Aang chukcled at that. "True."

Aang and Katara stared at each other for a long minute. Then Aang slowly pulled in to kiss Katara.

_BOOM!_

Katara and Aang jumped and looked toward the source of the noise. Haru was standing twelve feet away from them.

"Sorry!" Haru called out, embarrassed. "I was practicing my earthbending!"

Katara shook her head and smiled. She turned to Aang. "Well, that was anti-climatic."

"Yeah." Aang agreed. He paused for minute. Aang's thoughts drifted to Azula telling Sokka about Suki. She took advantage of Suki and distracted Sokka (and Toph and him) from finding the Fire ord. Azula took advantage of Suki...could the same thing happen with Katara? _Maybe that's why Guru Pathik wanted me to let her go. Either that, or he's jealous..._

"Aang?" Katara noticed Aang was spacing off. She took his hand. "Are you okay?"

Aang snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh? Oh...yeah, sorry. I just...drifted off."

"What's on your mind?" Katara asked, curious.

Aang couldn't figure ut a way to explain his thouhts to Katara, so he just shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing." Aang smiled convincingly.

Katara just shrugged it off. "Okay. Now...where were we?" She leaned in.

Aang just sighed. "Sorry...I'm...I can't..."

"It's okay." Katara said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Wanna head back to camp?"

"Sure."

The two walked back to camp. Katara watched as Aang got into bed. _'What's going on in that head of his?'_ She wondered.

XXXXXX

Ursa and Iroh made camp yet again. Their plan was to keep moving toward the royal palace and meet up with the invasion force. Ursa knew firebending, but hasn't practiced it in a long time, so Iroh was helping her with it.

Now, Ursa was sitting on a fallen tree log sipping tea. She sighed and looked off into space. Iroh joined her.

"What's on your mind?" He asked.

"Oh...just this man I met while I was in the Earth Kingdom." Ursa replied.

Iroh raised an eyebrow and smiled teasingly. "A gentleman caller?"

Ursa chuckled. "Well, maybe not a caller, but...he was nice."

"What was his name?"

"Hakoda." Ursa answered. "He's from the South Pole."

"How did you meet this...Hakoda?" Ioh asked, interested.

"He's in the Water Tribe navy serving in the Earth Kingdom." Ursa explained. "I was tired...exhausted and hungry. I found a deserted campsite on a beach. There were no ships or people around, so I snuck in and stole some food. I hidf in a tent and slept. Next thing I knew, I was staring up at a pair of blue eyes staring down at me. I was scared. I thought he was going to kill me for trespassing, but he was kind. He asked what I was doing at his campsite, and I told them I was on the run from the Fie Nation. I left two kids behind."

Iroh smiled. "The people of the Water Tribe are compassionate."

Ursa nodded. "They are. He told me he knew how I felt. Hakoda left two children of his own when he traveled to the Earth Kingdom. His wife died about six or seven years ago."

Iroh was surprised. Aren't the avatar's Water Tribe friends from the South Pole? "Do you know their names? Hakoda's children, I mean?"

"I can't remember off-hand." Ursa paused for a minute. "I remember they are a boy and a girl, but I can't remember their names."

"Sokka and Katara?" Iroh guessed.

"Actually...yes!" Ursa said, remembering. "How do you know those two?"

"They're traveling with the Avatar." Iroh explained. "I met them a few times over the past eight months since the Avatar was discovered in an iceberg."

Ursa sighed again in sadness. "Well, the Avatar's dead now. I wonder what they're doing."

"Actually, the Avatar's alive." Iroh told her. "Katara has healing abilities."

Ursa's eyes lit up. "Really? That's great! I've always wanted to meet my grandfather's incarnation."

Before Iroh said anything, they heard a rustle through the woods.

"What was that?" Ursa asked, standing up.

"I don't know." Iroh looked around for the source of the rustling. The two walked around cautiously.

Ursa headed deeper into the woods. Nothing. She turned around and gasped as she saw t wo Fire Nation soldiers standing side by side. One of them held up a poster.

"By he order of Fire Lord Ozai, you are under arrest." One of them said.

Ursa froze. What could she do? She didn't want Iroh to be arrested, too. So, she held up both her hands in surrender.

XXX

Iroh continued looking. He headed back to the campsite.

"Ursa?" He called out. He was getting worried. Iroh made a fireball in his hand and headed in the direction Ursa went in.

A few minutes later, Iroh was bagged from behind. Reacting fast, Iroh elbowed his captor hard in the ribs and tore the bag off his head. Soldiers were surrounding Iroh. He swung-kicked fire at them and ran into the woods. Iroh shot a few fireballs behind him and ran until he came to a canopy of trees. He hid there until the solders ran past. Iroh sighed in relief and sank to his knees. Realization sstruck him: He and Ursa were ambushed, and now Ursa was being taken to Ozai.

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**Ooohh, this is getting juicy, isn't it? XD **


	9. Confrontations

1**Thanks, guys! Oh, if any of you would be interested in Beta-reading my fics, that would be great! Just PM me, and we'll talk.**

Chapter 9: Confrontations

"Earth."

"Air."

"Earth!"

"Air!"

"Teo, how the freak is Air the best element?" Toph asked her friend, exasperated. She and Teo were talking about which element is better. "If it was, the Air Nomads would've survived the genocide!"

"True, but wasn't the genocide a surprise attack thing?"

Toph threw up her hands in frustration. "That's not the point! Air is a crap element to fight with! God, it's pointless to argue with you..."

"Yet you seem to enjoy it." Teo said teasingly.

Aang approached the two. "What are you guys arguing about this time?"

"Whether air or earth is the best element." Teo explained. "I voted air."

Aang snorted. "Is that even a question? Everyone knows air is the best!"

Before Toph could retort, the trio heard lightning. They froze.

"Crap, Azula didn't ambush us, did she?" Aang asked, worried.

"Well, I don't hear anyone screaming in pain and or agony, so no." Toph said. "In fact, all I feel around here is you guys."

The lightning struck again. Aang and Toph ran to check it out. They saw Zuko standing in the field, his back to them. Zuko turned around and saw Toph and Aang gaping at him.

"Oh, hey. Sorry. Did I scare you?" Zuko said a bit embarrassed.

"Psh. Me? Scared?" Toph chuckled. "Nah. But Aang was."

"I was not!" Aang turned on Toph. "I was worried! I thought it might be Azula."

"So, you're afraid of Azula?" Toph asked. "You didn't seem like it when we were in that bunker thing."

"That's because I'm not afraid of Azula!" Aang shot back. "I can walk all over that bitch!:"

Zuko gaped. "Wow...you swore."

Aang blushed in embarrassment. "Well...heh..."

Toph chuckled again. "Wait until I tell Katara!"

"Pleaxse don't!" Aang begged.

"Okay, I won't." Toph said half-convincingly. She walked off.

"...I hate Toph so much sometimes." Aang admitted.

Zuko laughed. "Looks like you have a surrogate sister."

"Unfortunately." Replied Aang. "Anyway, were you lightning bending earlier?"

"Yeah. My uncle taught me." Zuko explained. "I wasn't able to do it until...well, until my father tried to kill me with it."

Aang stared in shock. "Your dad can lightningbend?"

Zuko nodded. "There's a technique you can use against it, but I think you'd have to be a more advanced firebender."

"What technique is it?"

"Redirecting lightning." Zuko demonstrated the move for Aang. He looked interested.

"Cn you teach me?"

Zuko sighed. "Aang, I just old you- you need to be a more advanced firebender."

"But if Ozai can lightningbend..." Aang's voice trailed off at Zuko's expression. He sighed. "Fine. Let's just...get started on intermediate firebending, then."

"Okay." Zuko replied. "There is something I'd like to try with you. Have you ever combined bending moves?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like have you earthbended using airbending moves, or waterbending with earthbending moves?"

"How is that possible?" Aang asked, shrugging. "All four elements are separate."

"Not really." Zuko responded. "My uncle taught me that it's the power of the four elements is what makes you- the Avatar- so powerful. But if you only use earthbending with only eartnhbending moves, it only becomes rigid and well...unstable. I mean, sure, earth-, water-, and airbending is powerful, but if you combine different element moves, you can become even more powerful."

"Wow. I never really thought about it that way." Aang admitted. "Let's try it!"

First, Aang tried using eartrhbending movements to firebend. Some of the movements worked well until he accidentally set the field on fire. Zuko controlled the fire to stay in one place until Aang came back with Katara. The two doused out the fire.

Aang winced. "Okay, so earthbending mixed with firebending doesn't work out."

"You firebended using earthbending moves?" Katara raised an eyebrow. "Mixing up elements is a bit hard, don't you think?"

Zuko explained to Katara what he explained to Aang. Katara was a bit more understanding. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to learn something new."

Sokka came into the scene. "Really? Because if I recall, the last time you _did_ learn something new, it _did_ hurt."

Aang and Katara glared at Sokka. Zuko looked confused. "What did she learn?"

"Bloodbending." Katara replied, sighing. "Don't ask/."

"Well, it would make a great horror story, at least." Sokka commented. He was then hit with a water whip from Katara. "Ow! Well, it would!"

"Sokka, I swear to the spirits, if you don't shut up!"

"Okay, sorry." Sokka raised both his hands in surrender. Katara stormed off, huffing. Sokka headed off to...do whatever he does.

"Are they _always_ like that?" Zuko asked Aang, amused.

"Oh, yeah." Aang nodded.

Zuko's thoughts keep trailing to Mai. He couldn't help it, but each minute, he wishes he was back in the Fire Nation palace with her.

Aang noticed Zuko spacing off. "Are you okay?"

"What?" Zuko snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh...yeah. I'm just thinking..."

"About...what's her name...Mai?" Aang guessed. Zuko nodded. "You really miss her, don't you?"

"More than anything." Zuko admitted.

"Then go back to her." Aang advised.

"What?"

"If there's one thing we need during this war, it's happiness." Aang responded. "The invasion is next week. You can meet us at the palace then."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Aang said firmly. "You've just given me a new form of bending style. I can teach myself firebending using other elements. That's just as good as mastering it."

Zuko smiled. "Thanks, Avatar...Aang."

"You're welcome." Aang returned the smile and bowed politely. Zuko returned it.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Let me go!"

Ursa was struggling against two of Ozai's guards. They were marching her to the throne room of the palace. Ozai smirked as he saw his ex-wife being forced to kneel in front of him.

"Ursa." Ozai acknowledged her.

"Ozai." Ursa said, gritting her teeth. "Where is he?"

Ozai raised an eeyebrow. "I'm assuming you're asking about Zuko."

Ursa nodded. "Where is he?"

"I was hoping you would ask that, actually." Ozai replied. "You should be proud. The way he confronted me during the eclipse. So defiantly, yet cowardly. He had the nerve to say he will join the Avatar and free his uncle from prison."

Ursa was both amazed and shocked. "So, he's alive!"

"Not for very long." Ozai smirked evilly. He turned to the guards. "Take her away."

The guards stood Ursa up and marched her towards the door. Ursa twisted around to face Ozai.

"I swore I'd protect Zuko at any cost. My vow still stands." Ursa glared. "Mark my words, Ozai: if you do _anything_ to him, I will kill you!"

"You mean scarring and banishing him? Because I already did those things." Ozai teased.

Ursa growled and broke free from the guard's grasp. She ran at Ozai. Before she could reach him, a female guard tackled Ursa to the ground and tied her up.

"Dammit, Ozai! I will kill you!" Ursa shrieked as she was lead away.

Ozai just stared after the door. _'Oh, she will be punished.'_

XXXXX

By the following day, Zuko was halfway to the palace city. He stopped at a clearing to rest for a while. He took a deep breath to breathe in the air. The smell of trees, plants, flowers, and tea sorround3ed him.

...Wait,_ tea_?

Zuko gasped and jumped up. He sniffed one more time and ran in the direction of the smell. A few minutes later, Zuko stumbled across Iroh sitting with his back facing Zuko at a campfire.

Iroh heard someone and stood up and turned around. Zuko was standing a few feet away from him.

"Zuko?"

"Uncle..." Zuko sighed deeply and fell to his knees. "Uncle, I'm so sorry! I wronged you. I was a bastard."

"Yes, that would pretty much describe it." Iroh replied coolly. "Where's your favorite sister in the whole world?"

"Surrogate, or biological?" Zuko half-joked, hoping to lighten up the mood.

"You think this is funny?!" Iroh snapped. "You betrayed me, Zuko! I helped you, guided yo, took care of you! I didn't have to come along with you when you were banished! And you betrayed me."

"I realize that." Zuko replied, calmly. "I also realized that you've been like a real father to me, not Ozai."

"How do I know Azula hasn't taught you how to lie and get away with it?" Iroh asked.

"What?!" Zuko stood up, astonished and appalled. "How dare you assume I'd want to learn anything from that selfish cowhippo! I can't_ believe_ you'd think I'd lie! When have I ever lied to you?"

"The Blue Spirit thing...?"

"Okay- one thing!" Zuko yelled back. "Look, I came here to apologize. Why do you find this so hard to believe?"

"I wish I _could_ believe you, but don't! I'm sorry, Zuko, but I'm just so sick of making fruitless attempts at turning you to the good side!"

"I AM on the good side! If you don't believe me, send a damn messenger hawk to the Avatar!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Good!"

The two scowled and walked off in different directions. Zuko punched a fireball at a tree. This was proving to be a lot harder than he anticipated. Zuko groaned and lay down on the forest floor.

XXXXXXXXXX

Iroh sighed as he moved on.He didn't know what to make of Zuko's appearance. His nephew _did_ sound sincere. Maybe he was telling the truth.

The aged general stopped walking and sighed. Maybe he was a little harsh with Zuko, but who can blame him? He turned and headed back in the direction he came from.

_Fwish._

A small, sharp object hit one of Iroh's legs. He felt really dizzy. Before he knew it, everything went dark.

XXXXXXXX

Zuko woke up to find a soldier staring down at him. "Good morning." Said the soldier,. Something hit his head and everything went dark.

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**GASPETH! XD Well, Zuko and Iroh were captured. Don't worry, I'm going somewhere with this.**


	10. Family Matters

1**Well, I saw the Western Air Temple online this morning. 0.o Don't worry, I'm not gonna spoil it.**

**Or WILL I? -shifty eyed- XD Nah, jk, I won't.**

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Chapter 10: Family Matters

Iroh woke up in a very uncomfortable position. He groaned and opened his eyes. The Dragon of the West found himself in a dark cell with his arms and legs chained to the wall. He sighed.

'_Karma must really be upset with me right now.'_ He thought. Iroh wondered how long it will be before he saw Ozai again. He hasn't seen his brother since Zuko was banished.

"_Brother, I'm begging you to reconsider." Iroh was kneeling in front of Ozai in the throne room just after Zuko's Agni Kai. "He is only thirteen-"_

"_Rules are rules, Iroh What Zuko did was beyond disrespectful!" Ozai glared down at his older brother. "Zuko is not a child anymore. Hunting the Avatar shouldn't be that hard of a task."_

"_The Avatar is dead for all we know, brother!" Iroh argue. "What then? What if he is found dead?"_

"_Then I will still give Zuko a reprieve. Until then, he is banished."_

_Iroh sighed deeply."Then that makes two of us. I will accompany Zuko on his quest."_

_Ozai frowned. "Very well. But I warn you: if you don't come back with the Avatar, coming back will be the_ last _thing you'll do."_

"_I understand." Iroh said. "And I warn _you:_ if you hurt Zuko in any way, it'll be the last thing _you _do."_

Back to the present, Iroh tried yanking the chains off with no avail. A few minutes later, Ozai came in.

"Ozai." Iroh said firmly.

"Iroh." Ozai said the same tone. "Well, I see your act hasn't changed much."

"Neither has yours."

"Have you met up with my failure of a son yet?" Ozai asked casually. "He told me he was going to set you free from your prison. That you were a real father to him. It was quite beautiful, really."

Iroh just glared at him. "Where is she? Ursa?"

"My is she popular amongst traitors!" Ozai commented. "You knew she was banished. But did you already know she too was captured?"

"Yes, I did." Iroh answered. "That's why I'm asking."

""Don't worry, she's alive. For the time being." Ozai replied.

"What do you mean 'For the time being'?" Iroh asked, narrowing his eyes.

"My daughter lied to me about who took down the Avatar who happened to survive." Ozai explained. "Cleaning the entire palace inside and out was only her punishment. She needs a test in loyalty."

Iroh's eyes grew wide in horror as he realized what his brother was saying. "You mean...you're going to..."

"Oh yes." Ozai replied, nodding. He turned to leavew. "Have fun in confinement."

Iroh sighed once again in sadness. Ozai was going to have Azula kill Ursa, and Zuko probably had no knowledge of this, and there was nothing he nor Iroh could do.,

They were screwed.

XXXXXX

Azula caught up with Mai in the city's marketplace.

"Mai." Azula called out.

Mai turned to greet her friend. "Hey, Azula."

"Tking up shopping, huh?" Azula asked, conversationally.

"Yeah. Times at the palace have gotten pretty boring ever since Zuko left." Mai sighed.

Azula smiled. "Well, you're in luck, then. My brother was captured and imprisoned this morning."

Mai almost dropped the basket she was holding. "What?!"

"Yes. He's somewhere in the palace dungeons now." Azula grabbed Mai's arm as she began heading to the palace. "I wouldn't recommend seeing Zuzu right now. My father's on his way to do a little...bonding time."

Mai stiffened. "What is he going to do?"

"Oh don't worry. He won't kill him./" Azula replied. "Look, you can see Zuko in two hours. You'll tell me all about your visit, right?"

Mai glared at Azula. "I'll tell you only what concerns you. Anything else is between me and him."

Azula glared back at Mai. "I sense your loyalty is wavering. Ty Lee's, too./"

"Oh you sense a lot of things." Mai retorted.

"I do." Azula replied. "And if I sense any disloyalty from you, not only will our friendship be over, but your _life _will be over!"

Mai scoffed. "_What_ friendship? All I was to you was a damn sidekick!"

Azula smacked Mai across the face. Mai gasped and put a hand to her face and groaned slightly.

"I'm assuming you will tell Ty Lee of this." Azula said. "Tell her the same thing goes for her."

Without another word from Mai, Azula turned her heel and left for the palace. Mai sighed

'_This is what I freaking get for doing something out of boredom.'_ She thought.

XXXXXXXXX

The metal cell Zuko was sitting in was dark. Dark and cold. The only window was the opening at the top and bottom of the door so people can push food in and look into the room. There was a chair in the middle of the room, which Zuko spent most of his time on.

He wondered if Iroh was captured as well. He wondered if Iroh is even alive now. He wondered if Mai knows he was captured.

The door creaked open, and Zuko stood up to greet his father.

"Zuko. We meet again." Oai said coolly. "How's the Avatar?" Zuko just glared at him. "Ah, no matter. You won't tell me, anyway. I have bigger fish to fry now. It seems that both your mother and uncle were on the run. But they were both captured."

"Where are they?" Zuko asked, seething. He walked toward Ozai and grabbed the front of his robes. "Where are they, you son of a-"

A couple of Ozai's bodyguards grabbed each of Zuko's arms and forced him down on the chair. Ozai continued.

"I assure you, they're quite safe." Ozai replied. "For now."

Ozai left the cell, leaving Zuko to yell out in anger and send a fireball through the bars of his cell door.

About an hour later, the door opened again. Zuko looked up and saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Mai."

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**CLIFFIE! Next chapter will be entirely focused on Mai and Zuko's conversation. Just a heads-up. -winks-**


	11. Talking

1**Three cheers for this fanfic being my longest (in word length) and most popular!**

**HIPHIP...HOORAY!**

**HIPHIP...HOORAY!**

**HIPHIP...HOORAY! XD**

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Chapter 11: Talking

Mai shrugged and sighed. "As you live and breathe."

Zuko smiled and stood up. "I missed your dry humor." He walked over and hugged his girlfriend. Mai let Zuko embrace her. Zuko's usual smell returned to her like a breath of fresh air.

"Did you miss me?" Mai asked as Zuko pulled away.

"Yeah. I did. A lot." Zuko told her.

"Then why did you leave?" Asked Mai again.

Zuko was confused slightly. "Didn't...didn't you get my letter?"

"Of course I got your letter." Mai walked over to the wall and leaned against it. "That wasn't enough for me to understand what is going on I n that head of yours."

"Simple: I realized that this war and my father aren't all that was cracked up to be." Zuko answered. "I don't want this war to continue, or my father to continue his tyranny."

Mai's eyes widened. "How...I mean,...when did you realize this?"

"Over the past few months, actually." Zuko began. "I came home having betrayed the one person who stood by me ever since I was banished...I came home, my father under the impression that I killed the Avatar...I guess...I guess I was mad at myself because I actually enjoyed life as a peasant. It felt weird to be waited on hand and foot, and I found myself helping commoners when I went to town, cleaning up after myself."

Zuko sat down on the chair and rested his head in none hand. Mai sighed again, folded her arms and looked away.

"How weren't you you?" Asked Mai.

"What?"

"During that war meeting, you said you were the perfect prince. The son your father wanted. But you weren't you." Mai explained. "How was that?"

The generals and my father were talking about having peasants pay high taxes for the war effort. I thought that was a little unfair. I wanted to say something, but something else stopped me."

"What?"

"The fact that the last time I spoke out of turn, my father burned and banished me." Zuko answered Mai.

"So, the real you is someone who talks out of turn?" Mai raised an eyebrow.

"No, the real me is someone who stands up for what's right." Corrected Zuko. "Someone who actually cares about the welfare of others. Someone who doesn't agree to sending out new recruits as decoys."

Mai stared at Zuko for a minute. She was a .little surprised to hear this. Zuko anticipated her response.

"Mai?"

"Two seconds, Zuko. Give me two seconds to digest this!" Mai said, frustrated. She turned away again. After a few moments, she turned back to Zuko. "Don't you miss the royal treatment at all? The palanquin rides, ordering servants around?"

Zuko stared at Mai, suspiciously. "What are you saying?"

"I'm sorry. I misworded." Mai said sincerely. "What I meant was, you're not Fire Lord yet. You shouldn't worry about this crap right now!"

"So just because I'm not the Fire Lord means I can't do anything?!" Zuko exclaimed, angrily. "Mai, there are two evils in this world: one is doing it, and the other is not doing anything about it!"

"Okay, so what are you doing abo7ut this, then?" Mai asked.

"If I tell you, will you keep it a secret?"

"Of course."

"Okay...I'm leading a rebellion against my father." Zuko confessed. "I've already turned half the nation against him with the avatar's help."

Mai stared. "When?"

"When what?"

"When is the rebellion?"

"In a few days." Zuko answered. "Mai...I could use your help."

"My help?" Mai repeated. She sighed. "I guess I might as well. Azula already thinks I betrayed her."

Zuko smiled. "Great! Thank you."

"No problem. Whatever makes you happy."

"But will it make you happy?" Zuko asked with searching eyes. "I don't want you to think you have to choose me over Azula or...or Ozai."

Mai thought for a moment. "I don't want to sound like one of those damsels in distress type girls, but...what if Azula threatens me again?"

Zuko's heart went out for Mai. He's never heard her express concern about stuff like Azula threatening her before. Since he couldn't think of anything to say, Zuko just walked over to Mai and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I promise...I won't let anything happen to you." Zuko whispered.

Shivers went up and down Mai's spine. "My hero." She said, giggling. "I better go. Those guards outside your door are probably getting suspicious."

"Yeah." Zuko agreed. "I'm glad you came, Mai."

"So am I." Mai smiled back. "I love you."

Zuko started. He hadn't heard that for so long. He smiled. "I love you too."

Mai gave Zuko one last kiss before heading to the door. She knocked three times and yelled. "Coming out!" One of the guards opened the door and let Mai out. Zuko sighed and sat back down on his chair.

Mai walked towards Azula's room with a determined look on her face. She was not going to ruin hers and Zuko's relationship, nor was she going to put either of them in danger. Azula was found near the kitchen.

"Have fun?" Azula asked, coolly.

Mai folded her arms. "You and me- we're done." She shot another glare at Azula and walked off.

Azula glared back at Mai. "Oh, we were done long before this, my friend."

XXXXXXXX

Mai walked once again to Ty Lee's apartment. She knocked, and Ty Lee answered.

"Hi, Mai!" Ty Lee greeted, eagerly. "Come in!"

Mai stepped into the foyer. "Zuko was captured."

"What?"

"Yep. I just visited him in the palace dungeon."

"Wow. How is he?" Ty Lee asked in curiosity.

"He's fine." Mai replied. "He's leading a rebellion with the Avatar."

Ty Lee gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "He's _what_?!"

Main nodded. "And I'm helping him."

"Okay...this is too much for me!" Ty Lee sat down and fanned herself with her hand.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Ty, quit being so dramatic! Look...Zuko made some good points about Ozai. He's a tyrant. He's making other people suffer for his own benefit. Suffice to say: this war sucks!"

Ty Lee was quiet for a minute. Then she swallowed. "Um...well...I guess you're...you're..."

"Come on, Ty Lee. You can say it."

"I guess you're right!" Ty Lee blurted. "Did I just say that?"

Mai nodded and smiled. "I'm helping Zu,ko with the rebellion. Will you help us?"

Ty Lee hesitated. "Well..." She sighed. "Count me in!"

"Great." Mai said, relieved. "Oh, and another thing...please keep this from Azula."

"I will." Ty Lee told her. "I still haven't told Azula Zuko left you a note."

Mai smiled. "Remind me again why we're friends with Azula?"

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder that myself!" Ty Lee chuckled.

XXXX

Azula couldn't trust anyone anymore. Too many people were disappointing her. If they weren't going to be nice...she was gonna have force the answers out of them!

Azula called Ty Lee over to her house the next day. Ty Lee couldn't refuse as she didn't want Azula to be suspicious. So, Ty Lee entered the palace sitting room where Azula was seated at a table with some of Ty Lee's favorite snacks.

'_Oh dear Agni, is she trying to bribe me?'_ Ty lee wondered.

"Hey, Azula! Thanks for inviting me." Ty Lee smiled brightly and waved. She took a seat across from Azula.

"My pleasure." Azula smiled back. "How have you been?"

"I've been good! How about you?"

"Considering my father no longer trusts me, and Mai and Zuko betrayed me, I'd say I'm doing fair." Azula answered.

"Oh." Ty Lee said. "I'm sorry."

"Mm, I'll survive. So, you've been hanging out with Mai a lot." Azula observed.

"I have."

"Did you know my brother was captured/" Azula asked, casually.

Ty Lee did her best to looked surprised. "No, I didn't. Wow."

"Mai told you." Azula guessed.

Ty Lee choked on her drink. "She might have."

Azula growled angrily. "Oh, I'm going to destroy her!"

"Whoa, Azula, calm down! It's not like Mai's helping Zuko lead a rebellion or anythi-" Ty Lee's eyes widened in horror and she slapped her hand to her mouth.

Azula smirked evilly. "So he's leading a rebellion."

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's not what I said!" Ty Lee waved her hands frantically.

"I just remembered. I have a meeting to attend to." Azula lied. "I'll leave you to your snack."

"Huh? But-no! Azula, wait!" Ty Lee jumped up and grabbed Alula's arm. "I-I was just -"

"Save it, To Lee. I know when I'm being lied to." Alula wrenched free of Ty Lee's grasp and walked out the door. Ty Lee groaned in frustration, grabbed her hair and fell to her knees.

'_Damn it...Mai's gonna kill me.'_

XXX

_Azula walked briskly to Zuko's bedroom. She let herself in. Zuko was sharpening his swords._

"_Don't you ever knock?" Zuko asked, irritated._

"_I don't recall you knocking on my door when you barged in on me while I was sleeping." Azula shot back._

_Zuko sighed. "What do you want, Alula?"_

"_A favor." Azula sat on Zuko's bed. "The invasion is tomorrow. If the Avatar is alive, he's going to seize his chance to kill dad."_

"_He'll have bodyguards. What do you need me for?"_

"_Just in case the avatar makes out all those bodyguards." Azula explained. "I need you to kill him."_

_Zuko sighed. "And what makes you think I'll do that?"_

"_Because if the Avatar is alive and he confronts Dad, how do you think that will make you look?" Azula asked. "He'll punish you harder this time."_

Azula frowned at the memory. Sending Zuko to the bunker was a mistake. Good thing she doesn't make the same mistake twice.

Zuko's cell door opened and in walked Azula. Zuko glared up at his sister.

"Hello, Zuzu!" Azula greeted. She sent a flame at him. Zuko ducked. "How dare you? I asked you to help Father. NOT betray him and join the Avatar!"

"Well, that goes to show you that I'm not following your or Ozai;'s orders anymore!:" Zuko shot back.

"Is that why you're leading a rebellion?" Azula asked casually.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zuko asked. _'Crap, Mai didn't tell her, did she?'_

"Mai told me you were leading a rebellion." Azula said simply. Zuko's eyes widened.

"No...she wouldn't..."

"Takes one to know one." Azula shrugged. "Don't take it personally." She left.

Zuko stood there for a while._ 'Azula always lies.'_ He reminded himself. So, Mai couldn't have told her. Unless...she set him up like that.

"DAMMIT!" Zuko shot a massive fireball at the door.

Azula smirked as she heard her brother yell. _'Why am I so good at being bad?'_ She thought to herself.

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**...Okay, I **_**had**_** to include Azula's last line! I couldn't help it!**


	12. Keep The Faith

1**Well, all I can say is: Thanks for your support and reviews, guys! We are more than halfway through this story, so I hope to finish this bby New Years'.**

**And by the way, some of you were right. The surprise pairing is Ursa/Hakoda.**

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Chapter 12: Keep The Faith

"Time to rock!" Toph sent a boulder at Aang. Aang dodged it and bended the boulder back at Toph. The two of them were training earrthbending.

"Hey, Toph!" Aang called out. "I've got a _crush_ on you!"

Aang bent up two rock pillars and brought them closer to Toph. The blind earthbender thrust her fists outward, breaking the two walls.

"Gee, Twinkletoes, you sure do know how to sweep people off their feet!" Toph sent a massive shockwave at Aang. Aang jumped to avoid the hit. The shockwave ended very near Sokka, which made him jump.

"Glad to see you guys are having fun with earthbending, but we really need to work on a strategy to attack the Fire Lord!" Sokka threw up his hands in frustration. "Seriously, who's the Avatar here?"

Toph chuckled. "Sorry, meathead, but seriously, it's called relaxing before the pressure."

"We can't relax when there's a damn war going on!" Sokka cried. "Spirits, am I the only one who wants to freaking kill the Fire Lord?"

Katara walked into the campsite holding some fruit. "What's going on?"

"Meathead over here thinks he's the Avatar and wants to kill the Fire Lord." Toph explained airily.

"Trust me. If I were the Avatar, I would've killed the Fire Lord _months_ ago!" Sokka stated. He sighed.

"Sokka, relax! We are going to be fine." Katara responded, frowning at her brother. "We're ready. We have surprise on our side this time."

"Well, Aang _is_ the Avatar. Let's see what he has to say." Toph turned to Aang. "Twinkletoes?"

Katara turned to Aang. Aang was sitting against a tree with his knees curled up against his chest. He had a horrified expression on his face.

"I can't do it." He said quietly.

XXXXX

Azula walked along another hallway of the palace flanked by two guards. She was talking to them.

"We don't know when the rebellion will hit. I need you two to move Suki- that Kyoshi warrior- back here in the dungeons. There's a good chance the Avatar's friend will rescue her. Make sure my brother is heavily guarded, and get rid of Mai and Ty Lee."

"But the girls' parents are-"

"I don't care." Azula intterupted her companion. "Those girls are traitors. Just put them under house arrest. If they leave...well...you know what to do."

"Yes, Princess." the guard said, bowing. "What should we tell your father?"

"Nothing." Azula said simply. "He is not to know any of this. If you tell him anything, I will kill you both. That is all."

The guards left, and Azula kept walking. No one noticed Ty Lee hiding just barely behind a pillar. She gasped quietly and ran as fast as she could to the dungeons.

XXXX

"Zuko!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she ran into his cell.

"Ty Lee?"

"Look...whatever Azula said to you is not true! Mai did not tell her about the rebellion, I did!:" Ty Lee gasped for breath. "I'm so sorry. You know how Azula is."

"I didn't think Mai _did_ tell her." Zuko exhaled. "Did you tell Azula when the rebellion is?"

Ty Lee shook her head. "I better go. Good luck!"

Zuko gaped after Ty Lee. The acrobat hurried through the palace and macde it outside. She took a few moments to catch her breath, then headed over to Mai's.

XXXXXX

Back to the campsite, Katara, Toph, and Sokka stared at Aang. Katara sighed and knelt down next to Aang.

"Aang...you _can_ do it." Katara said. "You know all four elements now. You know enough-"

"I failed _twice_, Katara!" Aang said, his voice breaking. "What if I fail again? I'm not ready to face the Fire Lord. I can't defeat the Fire Lord now!"

Katara sighed and looked at Sokka for help. He just shrugged. Katara turned back to Aang.

"Aang...do you want this war to end?" Katara asked kindly. "Do you want everyone you love to be safe and happy and healthy?"

Aang nodded. Katara continued. "Okay, the only way to do that is to defeat the Fire Lord. We are all counting on you, and we're all here for you. We're all in this together, Aang. The Fire Lord's defeat is for all of us."

Aang sighed and looked at Katara. "Katara, I just don't know..."

"Oh, come on!" Sokka exclaimed. Katara gave him a warning look.

"Sokka..."

"No! Look, we've come this far! I did _not_ leave the South Pole just to hear Aang admnit defeat!" Sokka glared at Aang. "I want the freaking Fire Lord dead!"

"And I don't?!" Aang jumped up. "I want Ozai dead as much as the next person, but quite honestly, I SUCK!"

"You know what, Twinkletoes?" Toph jumped in. "You _do_ suck. You suck as the Avatar. You're supposed to help people. And the way to do that is kill the Fire Lords!"

"Hey!" Katara yelled. "Enough! We're all a little stressed because this may be our last chance at defeating the Fire Lords. But we need to calm down and figure this out!"

"I _will_ calm down! I'll calm down fifty miles away from Aang!" Sokka shot back. He growled and stormed off.

"Wait up!" Toph called after Sokka.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled after him. "You are acting immature."

"_I'm_ acting immature?" Sokka whirled around. "I'm not the one putting off defeating Ozai and running away from every freaking problem!"

Katara groaned loudly. "You know what? That's it. Apparantly you don't think Aang can defeat the Fire Lord. So you know what?_ I'll_ do it!"

"Do what?" Sokka asked.

"I will kill the Fire Lord." Katara said, determined.

"What?!" Both Toph and Aang exclaimed.

Aang ran over to Katara. "Katara, think about this."

"I _have_ thought about it, Aang." Katara replied. "I'll meet you guys at the capital."

Katara began heading in the direction of the capital. Aang's eyes widened in horror.

"Wait, Katara, you don't have to do this." Aang said. He put a hand on her shoulder. He swallowed. "I'll do it."

Katara turned to Aang. "You'll do what?"

"I'll defeat the Fire Lord." Aang replied. "I'm ready."

Katara smiled. "Good. Then my work here is done."

Sokka stared at Katara. "What?"

"Reverse psychology." Katara said simply. "Works every time."

Aang gaped and pointed to Katara. "You weren't really going to defeat the Fire Lord, were you?"

"Of course not!" Katrara shook her head. "That's _your_ destiny, Aang."

Aang sighed. "I know. You're right."

Sokka just shook his head and laughed. "Katara, you surprise me sometimes."

Katara just smiled and shrugged.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Back at Mai's house, Mai and Ty Lee were on the couch. Ty Lee told Mai about what Azula said earlier.

"Well, that sucks. Now what?" Mai asked.

Tty Lee sighed. "Sneak out tomorrow and help out?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Mai replied. "One other thing though. We're breaking Zuko out of his cell."

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**-sings Are You ready by Three days Grace- XD Yeah...**


	13. In Ba Sing Se

1**Glad you guys love this story! Oh, hey, I made a new poll in my profiule! I really need your opinions, guys. Please vote!**

**Just to clear up a few things...**

**1.Maiko is not the only ship. If you paid attention, there's Kataang, Sukka, Ursoda, and Teoph.**

**2. Zuko is not Hakoda's son. Where do you guys even come up with this stuff? Unfortunately, a lot of people have shitty dads.**

**3. There's at least 7 more chapters after this.**

**Oh, and this chapter takes place in Ba Sing Se, and is in Jin's POV.**

**Now, on with the story!**

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Chapter 13:In Ba Sing Se

_Four months ago..._

"Jin, hurry up!"

Sixteen year old Jin sighed as she walked out of her bedroom to meet with her parents and older sister. For some reason, the Fire Nation princess and prince were going to address the city. All Ba Sing Se citizens had to attend.

The area outside of town hall was packed with citizens trying to get a closer look. Jin and her family were somewhere in the middle. She stared up at the balcony where the Fire Princess stood.

"People of Ba Sing Se." Azula began. "You may have noticed a few changes in your beloved town. You probably don't even know why I'm even here. Do any of you even know there's a war that's been going on for a hundred years and that the Fire Nation has been hammering away at Ba Sing Se from the outside? Well, I can tell you right now, that the Fire Nation now has control over your city. The great walls will be torn down, and new rules will be given out. Now ruling Ba Sing Se will be Joo Dee. My brother and I will be returning back to the Fire Nation as heroes."

Zuko stepped out onto the balcony. Jin gasped as she saw him. _'Is that...Lee?'_ She wondered.

"My brother, Prince Zuko and I also took down the avatar." Azula continued. "You won't have to worry about him anymore. That is all."

Jin stood where she was. Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she stared up at Zuko He lied to her. Jin felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her sister, Cho.

"Hey, Jin, it'll be okay. We'll be fine." She said comfortingly.

Jin sniffed and took a deep breath. "Yeah...I know."

XXXXX

_Three months ago..._

Things were not going so well in Ba Sing Se (Or as it's now called- New Azula). A curfew was set for all Earth Kingdom citizens. They all had to wear something with the Fire Nation insignia on them, buy stuff with Fire Nation currency. The whole city was Fire Nationized. Anyone who broke those rules faced punishment.

There was, of course, a resistance. Jin's family were part of it., The resistance was held beneath the cellar of Pao's tea shop. Jin fast-walked to the tea shop ignoring sneers from Fire Nation citizens.

"I have more food." Jin said to her comrades. "Look, we have to do something. It's been a month. No one is doing anything."

"What can we do, Jin?" Asked her friend Koji. "Every time someone tries to rebel, they get either arrested or killed."

"So? This can't go on!" Jin argued back. "We either need to do something or leave this place!"

"Are you suggesting something?" Her other friend Kaiya asked.

"Yes. We fight back."

XXXXXX

_Two months ago..._

Jin, Koji, Kaiya, and a few others snuck to the palace one night. They were going to camp there until they were given a voice.

Come on, we're almost there." Jin whispered. Suddenly, everyone felt a shock wave hit them. They yelled out. Jin jumped out of the way to abvoid being encassed in earth. She noticed a few of her friends were taken.

"Koji!" Jin shrieked. She ran over to her captured friend. "Don't let them take you!"

"Jin, I have to go. Stop." Koji said to his friend.

"No!" Jin struggled as two Dai Li agents grabbed her. "No!"

XXXXXXXXXX

_One month ago..._

Jin smashed another rock with a mallet. She and a few other prisoners were sent to a concentration camp. She sighed and looked around. People all around her were working. Only a few guards could be seen. When nobody was looking, Jin put her mallet down and took a run for it.

Jin ran a few yards when a guard yelled out.

"Hey, stop! She;'s getting away, stop her!"

Jin ran faster. She was almost at the gate...

"Gotcha!"

Jin gasped and fell to the ground as a chain was thrown around her arms and torso. She wasd picked up and dragged over to a building, which she assumed belonged to the warden.

"Sir, this girl is trouble." Said Jin's captor. "What shall we do with her?"

"Send her to the Fire Nation capital." The warden answered. "I'm sure the Fire Lord will be pleased to hear from an Earth Kingdom rebel."

XXXXXXXX

_Two weeks ago..._

Jin was forced to kneel down on the ground. The burlap bag covering her head was pulled off. Jin blinked to adjust to the lighting. She was in the Fire Lord's throne room.

Ozai grinned evilly. "So...this is an Earth Kingdom rebel. You're just a child."

Jin just glared at the Fire Lord.

"You look around my son's age. Since he's a fill-blown traitor, you'd be perfect for him." Ozai said, airily. "What say you?"

"I say you're a bastard." Jin said bravely.

"You're either very brave o very foolish." The Fire Lord replied. "Let me assure you though. Soon, you're troubles may be over. It is apparent the Avatar is alive."

Jin's eyes lit up with a small sparkle of hope. "He'll stop you. The Avatar will stop you."

"Take her to the prison tower." Ozai ordered the guards.

XXXXXXXX

_Today- the day before the rebellion._

Jin leaned against the cage of her prison cell. She wondered if she'll ever see her family again. She pulled absent-mindedly on the lock. The lock somehow broke off. She gasped.

'_How did that happen?'_ Jin thought. Making sure no one was coming, she examined the lock. It was indeed broken. Smiling, Jin quietly took the lock off and slowly opened the cage door. She crept out and made sure no one was outside her cell. Jin slowly opened the cell door and crept out. It was apparently nighttime, since the guard outside her door was asleep. Jin quietly ran as fast as she could out of the prison tower. She couldn't help dancing a little in joy.

"Yes!" She whispered loudly. She ran.

XXXXXX

Appa landed on the opposite side of the beach where the first invasion started. The group got off.

"Ok...we just need to get a good nights' sleep so we're fresh and alert tomorrow." Katara said.

Toph knelt down and felt the ground. "Hey, someone's coming."

"No problem..." Sokka pulled out his sword. "I'm ready for whoever's coming."

Jin ran into their campsite. Sokka looked surprised and lowered his sword. Jin looked around and saw the Avatar.

"Avatar! I need your help." Jin said.

"What's wrong?" Asked Aang.

"I...I need to get back to Ba Sing Se." Jin replied. "I've been imprisoned for two months now."

"Well, we're kind of in the middle of a rebellion." Toph explained.

Aang glanced at Toph, then turned back to Jin. He explained about the rebellion. Jin listened with interest.

"I want to help." She said.

"Absolutely. We need all the help we can get." Katara responded. "Aang?"

"Of course you can help." Aang bowed politely to Jin.

Jin smiled and bowed back.

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**Yeah...I wanted to add Jin into the story. She's my favorite oneshot character.**


	14. The Rebellion Begins!

1**Man, 98 reviews and counting! O.o I feel so loved! Now...there's a line in this chapter that's from another Nickelodeon show. Whoever guesses which line and guesses the right show gets a cookie!**

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Chapter 14: The Rebellion Begins!

Aang stood at the rim of the volcano. The sun was rising, casting a shadow across the eastern side of the palace city. Taking a deep breath, Aang opened his glider and flew back down to the campsite. His friends were already up and eating breakfast.

"Morning, Aang." Katara greeted. She handed him a mango. "Here. You'll need this."

Aang took the fruit. He stared at it for a long time. Katara noticed and sighed.

"Aang, you'll be fine." Katara placed her hand on his. "I told you you are powerful, brave, and strong enough to defeat the Fire Lord."

"I know...it's just..." Aang sighed. "He can shoot lightning out of both hands. There's no technique around it."

"Well, then if you're lucky, Katara will be around to bloodbend him still!" Toph added. Katara smacked her lightly on the arm. "Hey! Well, it's true!"

"You can bloodbend?" Haru asked Katara, his eyebrows raised.

Katara groaned. "Don't ask. Bloodbending should only be used as a _last resort_. Otherwise, I think I'll stick with waterbending, thank you."

Toph scoffed. "Whatever, Sugar Queen."

"Okay, let's go over the plan again." Sokka said. Everyone turned their attention on Sokka. "The rebellion starts in just a couple of hours. We'll head up the volcano where On Ji's team will meet us, and hopefully some Order members. The riot will hopefully draw the palace guards away, then we;'ll all go inside. Aang defeats the Fire Lord, and the war will be over."

"Wow! That went more smoothly than your other speech!" Teo said teasingly.

Toph laughed. "Good one, Teo!"

"Thanks." Teo smiled at Toph.

Sokka glared at Teo. "Anyway...Jin, can you fight at all?"

"A little bit." Jin answered. "I'm pretty handy with a club."

"Good thing Sokka has one, then!" Toph exclaimed. She grabbed Sokka's club and handed it to Jin.

"Toph!" Complained Sokka. He sighed. "Fine. You can use it, Jin, but be very careful with it okay?"

"I promise I'll be careful." Jin told him.

"Good...good." Sokka turned to Teo and the Duke. "I have a very important job for you two." The two boys looked excited. "You get to protect Appa and Momo and make sure they're not attacked or hurt!"

"What? You mean we can't fight?" The Duke asked, dejected.

"Can you fight?" Sokka asked. The Duke shook his head. "Exactly. Look, your job is just as important as any: protect the Avatar's bison and lemur."

"Well...okay. Fine." The Duke responded.

"Yeah, okay." Teo also responded.

"All right. Now...the White Lotus members should be arriving any minute to free all of those prisoners of the invasion. After that, we'll have plenty of earth-, water-, and firebenders to fight against the palace guards and soldiers! This plan can;t possibly fail!"

Aang stood up. "I agree. This plan is flawless. This time, we have surprise on our side. Katara, I'm gonna need one of your water skins. I doubt there'll be water nearby when I'm fighting Ozai."

Katara took one of her water skins off her back and handed Iit to Aang. "There's only about three pounds of water in here. Choose wisely when you use it."

"I will. Thanks, Katara." Aang bowed to her and put the water skin over his shoulder.

Katara smiled and hugged Aang. "You can do it. I know you can."

"How do you know?" Aang asked.

"Because if you believe something strong enough...it will come true."

"You think so?"

"I _know_ so." Katara said firmly. "Aang...I love you."

Sokka's mouth dropped open. Toph chuckled and pumped her fist.

"Go, Sugar Queen!"

Aang blushed. "I...I love you, too."

"Wow...didn't see that coming." Sokka admitted. Toph, Haru, Teo, and Jin all looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

"You never saw it coming? Are. You. Kidding me?" Toph asked.

"Hell, even _I_ saw it coming, and I just barely joined you guys!" Jin laughed.

"Okay. So I'm the only friggin' one who saw it coming!" Sokka threw up his hands in frustration. "Now, can we go? We got a fight to catch!"

XXXX

Near the prison tower stood an army of about three hundred men. Their leader, Shang was looking at the prison tower through a telescope.

"There it is...unguarded." Shang put away the telescope and addressed his team. "Men! This is it! This is where they die! We fight for freedom. We fight for justice. But most of all..."

"We fight for the Avatar!" The whole army yelled and cheered.

Shang turned to two of the women in the group. "Are you two ready?"

The women nodded. One of them, Lin spoke up. "Let's hope my flirting skills will pay off."

"Right." Shang nodded. "Go on."

The two women marched into the tower and approached the two guards standing just inside the door.

"Hello, boys." Lin said flirtatiously.

The guards gaped at the two women wearing revealing clothing. They began smiling and blushing.

"What can we do you for, ladies?" Asked one of the guards cockily.

"Bleed." Lin said simply. She and her friend did a series of kicks and punches. The guards were outt cold in seconds. They sent a giant flame out the door as a signal. Shang saw it and stood up.

"All right, men! Let's move, move, move!"

XXXXXXXXX

Aang was looking through Sokka's scope at the prison tower. He turned to his friends. "They're in! Are you guys ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Toph said.

"I'm ready!" Katara said.

"I was born ready." Haru put in.

"I was born naked and screaming." Sokka smirked at his own joke. Everyone else gave him a weird look. "What? I was."

XXXXXXXX

Mai woke up and stretched. Today was the big day. She got ready and headed outside. Two guards stopped her.

"You're under house arrest." One of the guards told her.

Mai looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Princess Azula's orders."

'_Oh...that bitch!'_ Mai thought angrily. "Fine." Mai headed toward the back door. There were two guards standing there, too. She pulled out her shuriken, ran outside and pinned the guards to the wall.

"What now, huh?" Mai asked the guards mockingly. She then headed towards Ty Lee's apartment.

XXXXXXX

Aang and his friends reached the top of the volcano, where some soldiers were waiting for them.

"Stop right there." One soldier said in a battle stance.. The six teens also went into their stances.

"We're not leaving until Ozai is dead!" Aang declared.

The soldier chuckled. "And what will you do? You're just a bunch of kids!"

Suddnely, a fireball landed between the teens and the soldiers. They looked up to see On Ji standing to the side. "Wrong!" She said. "They're just the kids who got here first!"

"Oh really?" The soldier turned to On Ji. "Who's gonna help you, little girl?"

"Yeah!" Chorused another soldier. "You and what army will stop us?"

On Ji simply turned around and whistled loudly. As On Ji turned back around and smiled, about a hundred kids ranging from about ten years old to seventeen were holding weapons or were in their fighting stances. The soldiers looked slightly scared and nervous.

"GET THEM!" On Ji yelled. The army of kids yelled and ran towards the city. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Haru, and Jin scrambled to the side. Jin started waling to the city.

"You guys go. I'll help the riot." Jin said to them,. She ran off.

"Good luck!" Aang called after her.

"Come on. I think if we sneak into the back of the palace, we'll have better luck." Sokka said.

The five friends ran towards the pond area.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ty Lee and Mai were headed in the same direction.

"Mai, tell me again why we're finding the Avatar?" Ty Lee panted.

"Because we need his help rescuing Zuko." Mai told her. "Now come on. I can just barely make them out!"

Just then, a fireball shot out toward them. The girls went into their fighting stances.

"Oh, don't mind me, girlies. I'm just following orders." The guard said as he aimed another fireball at the two. Mai threw a few knives at the guard, but he dodged. Both she and Ty Lee ran towards the pond area. The guard followed.

"There's Mai and Ty Lee!" Katara noticed. "And a guard is following them. What's going on?"

XXXX

Mai and ty Lee both stopped a few feet from the pond. "How do you know we haven't received orders?" Asked Mai.

"Because Princess Azula ordered me to kill you both." The guard said simply. Ty Lee leaped up to block the guard's chi, but the guard caught Ty Lee and threw her bodily into the pond. Mai gasped and started running to the pond when the guard knocked her out with a fireball.

Haru dived into the pond to rescue Ty Lee, Toph and Aang both knocked the guard out with earthbending, and Sokka and Katara headed to Mai.

Katara got some water and healed Mai's burn. Toph ran over and bended up a boulder and aimed it at Mai.

"No, Toph, stop! We need her." Sokka held out a hand to stop his friend. He turned Mai over. Mai groaned slightly and came around.

"Mai? Where's Suki?" Sokka asked.

Mai looked slightly confused. "Huh?"

"The Kyoshi Warrior, Mai." Sokka told her.

"She doesn't know, Sokka." Katara spoke up.

Sokka looked at his sister. "Yes, she does." He turned back to Mai. "Mai, let's be honest here: that guard threw your friend into the pond. He shot you in the back. It's obvious that your gloriopus leader Azula put him up to it. Are you a complete idiot? You have the chance to make Azula and Ozai very very angry. Why would you not take that chance?"

Mai chuckled and slowly shook her head. "You know, you should be a motivational speaker when you grow up."

"I plan to." Sokka said in a deadpan.

"Your girlfriend is in the palace dungeons somewhere." Mai told Sokka. "I can take you there, but I don't know exactly where she is."

"Okay. That's all I'm asking." Sokka stood up and offered his hand to help Mai up. Mai obliged. "Question: why are you helping us?"

"Let's just say that a certain prince got to me." Mai explained. "Speaking of Zuko, he's captured in the dungeons too. I need your help rescuing him."

"No problem." Aang replied."Lead the way."

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**This might be my last update until Wednesday. The next two chapters are kind of a downer for Christmas.**


	15. Reunions and Rescues

1**Ok, I'm going to Vegas on vacation so this might be my last update until Sunday. I'm bringing my laptop with me, but that's not a total guarantee that I'll update before Sunday.**

**BTW, only one person got which line I was referencing from another Nick catroon. "They're just the kids who got here first!" was from the Fairly OddParents Christmas special.**

**Oh, and we're not gonna see Jin or On Ji for a few chapters.**

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Chapter 15: Reunions and Rescues

The five teens ran down to the dungeons. They managed to get here without being caught. The riot indeed was a distraction enough to drive all palace guards away to deal with them.

"Ok...we're here." Mai caught her breath.

Aang sighed. "All right. Sokka, Katara, you find Suki. Toph, you ands I will go with Mai to break Zuko out. Let's meet back here."

"Okay. Be careful, Aang." Katara said to him.

"I will, Katara." Aang smiled in reassurance. "You be careful, too."

Mai led Toph and Aang down one way, Katara and Sokka went another.

The Water siblings looked in every cell. After twenty minutes...

"Suki!" Sokka exclaimed happily. He pulled out his sword and sliced the edge of the door.

Suki looked up wearily. "Sokka?"

Sokka and Katara pushed open the door. Suki stood up as Sokka ran to hug her. Katara smiled at the two.

"I'm so sorry it took so long for me to find you." Sokka said. They pulled apart.

"Yeah. Thanks for noticing I was gone!" Suki smacked Sokka in the arm.

"But-I-thought-you-didn't-I mean-" Sokka stammered.

Katara put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "What Sokka's trying to say is we're really sorry." She explained everything that's happened the past Summer, including the invasion, finding Zuko at the Western Air Temple, and the rebellion. Suki just sighed.

"Typical. I miss everything exciting when I'm on Kyoshi Island, then when I actually get involved, I miss everything." She shook her head. "I'm glad Aang's okay."

"Yeah, me too." Katara replied. "We need to get out of here. Toph, Aang, Mai, and Zuko should be on their way to the entrance right now. We better hurry."

XXXX

Azula walked brusquely to the Fire Klord's war room. When she walked in, the table was missing from the center. Instead, her father was standing in front of two poles.

"You betrayed me once, Princess Azula." Ozai began. "But since you did it for loyalty reasons, we are going to test your loyalty to the fullest."

XXXX

Mai, Toph, and Aang sprinted towards Zuko's cell. Two guards were standing in front of the door. Toph sent a shockwave, and trapped the guards in earth cocoons. Mai ran to the cell and used one of her knives to slice the doorframe. Zuko stood up as the cell was opened.

"Mai? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"What do_ you_ think?" Mai rolled her eyes. "I'm rescuing you! Well, along with the Avatar and one of his friends."

"Hey, Sparky." Toph greeted Zuko.

"Hey...thanks." Zuko walked out of the cell.

"All right, let's hurry." Aang said. "Katara, Sokka, and Suki should be at the entrance by now."

XXXX

Katara, Suki, and Sokka headed to the entrance. They heard voices, so they hid behind a few statues.

"I can't believe Azula betrayed her father." One of the guards was saying. "Zuko was one thing, but Azula.."

"Yeah, I know." The other guard replied. "And the fire lord is gonna test Azula's loyalty."

"How?"

"By making Azula kill her mother and uncle."

Katara gasped silently and looked at Suki and Sokka. They had worried looks on their faces. They waited for the gaurds to disappear, then stepped out of the shadows. Just then, Mai, Zuko, Toph, and Aang ran to them.

"We made it!" Aang exclaimed. "Suki! How are you?"

"Ah, I've been better." Suki replied. "I'm glad you're doing better. I'm sorry about what happened to you."

"Ah, it's okay. And thanks."

"Great." Sokka stepped in. "Listen, we overheard two guards talking. Fire Lords Oldzai is testing Bitch-zula in loyalty. She's gonna kill your uncle and mother, Zuko."

"What?!" Zuko exclaimed. "Where?"

"They didn't sasy." Sokka replied.

Zuko began panting angrily. "I can't let her do this. Not again." He ran out of the dungeons.

"Zuko? Zuko!" Mai exclaimed. She and the others ran after him.

XXXXXX

Four guards brought Ursa and Iroh into the war room. They tied the two to two separate poles. Azula stiffened as she realized what her father was talking about.

"Hello, Mother. Uncle." Azula greeted calmly. "It's been awhile."

"Yes it has." Ursa said coldly. "Manipulated anyone lately?"

"Called anyone a monster lately?"

Ursa was a little surprised. _'Oh, damn, she heard that?'_

XXXXX

Zuko sprinted to one of gthe main hallways of the palace. He tackled a passing guard to the ground.

"Where are they?! Where is my uncle and mother?" Zuko asked, holding one of his swords to the guards' throat.

The guard gulped in fear. "Th-they're in the-the w-war room. Please let me go! I have a wife and kids at home!"

Zuko sighed and let go. He stood up and continued sprinting to the war room. His friends where tailing him.

"Zuko, stop! We need to have a plan!" Sokka yelled after him.

XXXXX

A servant presented Azula with a box. Azula opened it and took out a knife. She frowned and turned around.

"Any last words, Mother?" Azula asked.

"I'm sorry." Ursa blurted.

Azula looked confused then hid it. "What?"

Ursa sighed. "I said I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that comment. I shouldn't have said that anyway. And...I'm sorry I let your father manipulate you and mold you to become...this way."

"Well, I admire your courtesy to apologize, Mother." Azula commented. "But that still doesn't change the fact that it happened."

"Princess Azula! You try my patience." Ozai sneered. "Do it. Do it now!"

Azula swallowed and turned to glance at her father, then back at Ursa. She gripped the knife firmly. "Good-bye, Mother."

"NOOOO!"

Everything happened so fast. Iroh and Ursa closed their eyes and looked away as Azula thrust the knife forward. No one noticed Zuko diving in between Ursa and Azula taking Azula's blow. Both Ursa and Azula gasped. Zuko lay on the floor unconscious with the knife stuck in his side. Azula whimpered and put her hands to her mouth.

"No..." She whispered.

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**...Yeeeeeah, I had this planned from the start. Don't worry. Zuko isn't dead. No way am I killing off a fan favorite. -winks-**


	16. Fight Face

1**Here it is, as promised. -winks- This chapter will be long, so sit tight!**

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Chapter 16: Fight Face

Everyone stood still for a minute. Aang sent an air blast at Ozai at the same time Toph sent a shockwave at Azula. Sokka and Suki ran to free Iroh and Ursa, while Katara and Mai ran to Zuko's side.

Azula smirked at Sokka and Suki. "Well, looks like you found your girlfriend after all."

"Hey, Ice Princess! You and me ain't done." Toph took a fighting stance. Azula did the same.

"Avatar. We finally meet." Ozai said as he entered a battle stance. Aang glared at him.

"Your days of tyranny are over." Aang declared. He sent a fireball at Ozai.

XX

Katara knelt down at Zuko's side. He wasn't dead. Just unconscious. She slowly pulled the knife out of his flesh. Blood poured out everywhere.

"Damn it!" Katara ripped off part of her kimono, folded it and held it to the wound. She looked over at Iroh and Ursa, who were wearing shocked and worried expressions.

"Z-Zuko?" Ursa 's voice shook. She gently stroke her son's hair, then broke down in sobs. She hugged Zuko's shoulders. Katara glanced at Iroh.

"What's her name? Zuko's mother?" She asked.

"Ursa."

"Okay." Katara reached for Ursa's shoulder to address her. "Hey, Ursa? He's going to be okay. I have healing abilities. I've healed worse wounds than this. He's gonna be fine."

Ursa looked up at Katara. There was something familiar about her facial features that reminded her of Hakoda. "Th-thanks." Ursa managed to say.

Katara turned back to Mai. "Mai, I'm gonna need you to hold this for a second while I bend up some water. Lift the pressure off when I say, okay?"

"Okay." Mai held down the pressure while Katara pulled water out of her puch.

"Lift." Katara instructed. Mai took the pressure off and Katara began the healing process. Zuko didn't respond to the pain, which made Katara slightly worried. "This might take a while."

XXXX

Ozai sent another fireball at Aang, who controlled it away. "I see my traitorous son has taught you well."

Aang wanted to test Ozai's self-control. "Yes, he did. Who taught _you_? A five year old?"

Ozai growled and sent a huge fdireball at Aang, who dodged. The fireball hit a few of Ozai's guards. Aang sighed in relief of avoiding a deadly hit.

"Not bad! But seriously, I thought you be _better_ than Zuko." _'Sorry, Zuko'_ He thought. Aang bended up a boulder and threw it at Ozai who dived out of the way. "Oh, right, I forgot! You don't want to injure your hips any more than they already are!"

"Enough! I will not be spoken to like that!" Ozai sent a plume of fire towards Aang. He bended up a rock pillar to block the blow.

'_Ok, so he has plenty of self-control...'_

XXX

Katara and Mai ducked as a fireball flew past them.

"We need to move Zuko to another room." Katara noted. "There's a room across the hall, right?"

"There is." Replied Iroh. He, Ursa, Katara, and Mai lifted Zuko up and moved him to an empty room.

"Let me know if he wakes up." Mai said., "I'm gonna say a few things to Azula." She left. Katara continued the healing process. The blood was gone, but the wound was still deep.

Katara's pouch felt lighter. "Crap, I'm running out of water." She looked around. Katara saw a big plant in a big vase. Standing up, she bended the water out of the plant and froze it on the ground next to her.

Iroh was impressed. "Where did you learn that?"

"Met a waterbender over the summer." Katara replied. "This might not be enough. I need you to find any source of water. Plants, food, stuff like that."

"All right." Iroh stood up and ran to comply.

Ursa held one of Zuko's hands and sighed. With her other hand, she lightly touched Zuko's scar. A lump rose in Ursa's throat.

"I Should've taken him with me..." She said quietly.

Katara looked at Ursa. "What?"

"When I was banished...my husband was going to kill Zuko as punishment." Ursa began to explain. "I didn't want him to have a life on the run, so...I left him behind. I can't express how much I regret that, now..."

Katara looked at Ursa with sympathy. "I can't say I know how you feel. In Ba Sing Se, Azula and Aang were fighting. Azula had Dai Li agents on her side, so Aang was outnumbered, so he went into the Avatar State. I was so hopeful and relieved. I thought we were finally going to win that fight. I was so focused on Aang, that I didn't see Azula shoot him down with lightning. I let her take him." Katara's eyes brimmed with tears from that memory.

Ursa sighed and shook her head. _'Agni, Azula, you really_ are _a monster.'_ "I can't believe my own little girl became such a...a monster."

"What on earth happened that made Azula like this?" Katara asked.

"Ursa shrugged. "She looked up to her father, I guess. She was inspired by him. Zuko was more inspired by me, but he still loved his father for some reason."

"But you didn't." Katara guessed.

"I was young, naive, and lovesick." Ursa expressed. "When I was a little girl, I used to imagine myself marrying the man I love. He would tell me I'm beautiful, and he would cherish me, and spoil me with jewelery. He would love me ad our children. Over the years of our marriage, I realized that Ozai was only interested in being the Fire Lord. Iroh was supposed to be next in line-"

Katara dropped her water. "What?! I...I mean, I knew they were brothers, but I had no idea...Ozai basically stole Iroh's birthright!"

"Right after Iroh's son died, too." Ursa nodded. "Sometimes I wonder if Ozai actually had Lu Ten killed. He knew Lu Ten was Iroh's pride and joy, and that he would fall apart if something were to happen to him."

Katara sighed as she took this information in. _'And I wanted to_ kill_ Zuko...'_

XXXXX

Mai ran into the war room, which was starting to live up to it's name. Locating Azula, Mai threw a few daggers in Azula's direction. Azula turned around.

"How's your boyfriend?" Azula asked.

"Like you care." Mai snarled.

"Hey. I said I wanted Zuko captured. I never said I wanted him dead!" Azula shot back at Mai. She shot a fireball at her. Mai dodged. She threw another few daggers at Azula.

"You just couldn't stand to see me happy, could you?" Mai accused Azula. "Interrupted my dates with Zuko while he was here, sending some idiots after me and Ty Lee, putting me under house arrest?"

"What did you expect me to do?" Azula argued. "I freaking don't care about other people's happiness, and I certainly don't care about you or Ty Lee or Zuko!"

"Really? Because I wasn't so sure!" Mai shot back sarcastically. "Then why did you freak out when you accidentally stabbed Zuko?"

"Because I failed to stab my mother. Now my father's gonna be pissed at me when he's through with the Avatar!" Azula answered.

They heard someone yell out behind them and turned around. Aang slid along the wall, unconscious. Ozai smirked in satisfaction. He knew the Avatar wasn't dead yet. He needed something to do until he woke up. Ozai walked towards Azula.

"You failed me for the last time, Princess Azula." Ozai generated lightning and struck Azula.

Azula tried to bend it away, but couldn't. She stumbled, then fell to the ground, dead. Mai gasped silently..

XXXXXX

Katara panted in exhaustion. She wiped her sweaty forehead and kept working on Zuko. Zuko finally gave out a grunt of pain. Ursa and Katara gasped.

"Zuko?" Ursa stroked Zuko's hair again. "Zuko, my love, can you hear me?"

"Mom...?" Zuko said weakly. He groaned in more pain.

Iroh ran in with another plant. "Is he awake?"

"Yeah. He is." Katara smiled.

Iroh laughed in relief. He knelt down next to Zuko.

"Uncle?" Zuko said wearily. "I'm sorry for everything I put you through."

Iroh sniffed. "It's okay. I forgive you."

Ursa began crying. "Thank Agni" She hugged Zuko's shoulders again.

Zuko gasped in surprise. He slowly sat up, Ursa still hugging him tightly. "Mom..." He burst into tears himself, and hugged his mother back tightly.

Katara smiled at the two hugging. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She sniffed and stood up. "I'll-I'll leave you three alone in private."

Katara left the roonm, took deep breath and headed to the war room. Mai rushed out of it.

"What happened in there?" Katara asked, worried.

"Ozai shot and killed Azula with lightning." Mai answered. "How's Zuko?"

"He's okay. He's with his mother and Iroh now."

Mai sighed in relief. "Thanks. Listen, I never got the chance to apologize for basically almost killing you. I'm sorry. I was only doing it because Azula...well, you've met her."

"No hard feelings." Katara smiled. "Just choose your friends better next time, okay?"

Mai chuckled. "No problem."

Mai and Katara went their separate ways. Katara braced herself for what she would see when she stepped into the room. She almost tripped over Azula's dead body. Sokka and Suki were fighting a couple of soldiers. Toph was fighting a group of soldiers at once.

Katara saw Aang slowly rise from the ground.

"Aang!" Katara started towards Aang when all of a sudden, Ozai bended a ring of fire around Katara. She gasped. Katara didn't have any water on her. Katara pulled up her shirt collar around her nose and mouth.

"Katara!" She heard four different voices shout. There was no way out of this without water. Toph couldn't earthbend her out. Air would only make it worse. Before Aang could do anything, Ozai firebended at him.

"Surrender or she gets it!" Ozai threatened.

Sokka racked his brain for ideas. Then he ran out of the room to look for...

"Iroh!" Sokka exclaimed. "Ozai has Katara trapped in a circle of fire thing. You have to help!"

Iroh pushed past Sokka. He took one look at the ring of fire and separated the circle. Katara was soaked with sweat from the heat. Sokka ran forwrd as Katara collasped in his arms. Katara breathed heavily and coughed.

"Katara, are you okay?" Sokka asekd.

"I'm...I'm fine." Katara breathed heavily and coughed some more. "How's Aang doing?"

Aang stood up and took a deep breath. Enough was enough. He had to finish Ozai off now. Ozai smirked and entered his fighting stance. He was about to generate lightning when he froze. Aang looked confused, then looked over st his friends. Katara was in a stance, her hands aimed at Ozai. She bloodbended him still.

"Get him, Aang!" Katara encouraged.

Aang smiled and nodded. He opened his water pouch, formed the water around his left hand, formed a fireball in his right hand, lifted his foot and took a deep breath. Toph noticed, and her eyes widened.

"Wait a minute...he's gonna use all four elements!" The blind earthbender exclaimed.

Katara looked slightly apprehensive. Using all four elements in one attack move cannot be good. "Aang.,.."

Aang thrust the water, earth, fire, and air at Ozai.Using all four elements with so much force, caused a huge explosion.. Sokka, Katara, Toph, Suki, and Iroh were all thrown backward from the impact. The ceiling and wall exploded off, and the fire in the fire pit blew, but didn't spread.

Ursa, Zuko, and Mai ran into what remained of the war room and stared in shock. After a few minutes, the dust and smoke cleared. Katara, Sokka, and Toph rushed forward through the rubble.

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed. She and Sokka removed the debris that was covering Aang. The Avatar groaned in pain and slowly opened his eyes. Katara hugged Aang tightly.

Aang gasped in pain and hugged Katara back. Sokka and Toph joined the hug. Iroh headed over to where Ozai was shot. Ozai was laying sprawled on his back unmoving. Iroh bent down to check his pulse and heartbeat. He stood up and smiled.

A crowd was beginning to form. Kids from the rebellion including Jin and On Ji; and the now released invasion force gathered around from the outside and inside the palace. Everyone looked on in anticipation.

"We're going to need a new Fire Lord." Iroh announced.

The crowd burst into cheers and applause. Aang closed his eyes, smiled, and sighed in relief. Katara kissed Aang on the cheek, Sokka picked Aang up in a bear hug.

"You did it! You actually friggin' did it!" Sokka exclaimed.

Toph punched Aang in the arm. "You rock, Twinkletoes!"

Aang didn't say anything. Instead, he wept in relief. Finally the Fire Lord was beat. The war was now over. Everything would be back to the way things were before the war started.

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**Now...the war may be over, but this story isn't! There's still around ten more chapters I'm planning on doing! And don't think I've forgotten about the comet.**


	17. Aftermaths

1Chapter 17: Aftermaths

After Katara healed everyone's bumps and bruises, the sages were alerted that Ozai was dead. Aang, Toph, and other earthbenders fixed up the war room, and a few guards relit the throne pit.

"Now that Aang defeated the Fire Lord, what now?" Sokka wondered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Katara smiled. "Zuko's going to be Fire Lord."

Zuko blushed and smiled. "Hey now...I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"What do you mean? That's all you ranted about while you were still chasing us!" Sokka pointed out.

"That was before my head deflated a little." Zuko replied.

Aang put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, you stood up for what's right for the Fire Nation. You stood up to your father by saying he's evil. Wanting peace for your country, helping me defeat your father...that took guts! You care about your country, and you're a great leader. I can't think of anyone better as Fire Lord."

Mai smiled and stepped in. "He's right, you know. You also encourage expressing yourself, you listen to what people have to say wether or not it's important."

"Thanks. But that's not the point. The point is: my uncle should really be Fire Lord." Zuko said to them. "He's had years of practice and training to become one."

"On the contrary, Prince Zuko," The five friends turned around to see Iroh approaching them. "I never wanted to be Fire Lord. I realized years ago that perfection and power is overrated. I chose happiness and love instead."

Zuko took a minute to digest. "Maybe...there can be a balance. You know: some love, some happiness, some perfection, and some power."

"Very wise." Iroh smiled. "I think you'll make an excellent Fire Lord./"

Zuko smiled. "Thanks, Uncle." They hugged.

XXXXXXXX

Katara, Sokka, Haru, and Teo were all reunited with their dads. The Duke and Pipsqueak laughed and hugged.

"How are your injuries, Dad?" Katara asked.

"Better, but still not healed completely." Hakoda replied. "I'm so proud of you and Sokka and Aang."

"Thanks. I'm proud of Aang too." Katara answered. She sighed. "Look, um...Aang and I sort of...started liking each other as more than just friends. Is that okay with you?"

Hakoda smiled. "As long as you're happy and he treats you right, I'm fine with any boy you date."

"Thanks, Dad." Katara hugged him.

Sokka walked in on them. "Yeah, better Aang than pretty boy Haru."

They turned to see Haru in the distance making muscles at Ty Lee and doing some earthbending moves.

"They are so right for each other." Katara commented.

XXXX

Zuko walked down the streets of the capital. Half the buildings were damaged by the rebels. He came across one undamaged building. It was a restaurant that went out of business. Zuko smiled as he came up with an idea.

Jin walked around the damaged streets. Citizens were tending to their homes and businesses. She sighed. _'Wow, we did a lot of damage here.'_ She continued down a street and saw Zuko coming out of a building. They stopped as they saw each other. Jin sighed, folded her arms and walked slowly towards Zuko.

"You lied to me, Zuko." Jin stated.

"I know." Zuko replied. "And I'm sorry. I was afraid you'd turn me in or reject me if you knew I was Fire Nation."

"You should've just told me." Jin said in a low voice. "At least I would've known you were basically an honest guy."

Zuko shrugged. "I guess I was...scared. I revealed I was Fire Nation to a village in the Earth Kingdom. I ran a bunch of thugs out of town. I revealed who I was...and they shunned me even though I helped them."

"Zuko, not all people are prejudice." Jin shook her head. "My mother taught me that what's inside a person counts rather than their...allegiance in the war. Just as long as you're a good person, that's all that matters."

Zuko smiled at her. "I guess we _both_ have good teachers."

Jin chuckled. "Yeah. Sorry about your capital, though."

"It's okay." Zuko replied sincerely. "We can rebuild it."

"I can help if you want." Jin offered.

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." Zuko replied.

XXXX

Zuko walked into the guest room of the palace where Aang was staying. "Knock, knock."

"Hey, Zuko." Aang smiled. "Or I guess I should say 'Flameo, Hotman'." He chuckled.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "'Flameo hotman'?"

"That's...isn't that what you guys say here?" Aang asked.

"Not anymore." Zuko chuckled. "That lingo died out years ago."

Aang groaned slightly. "I probably did a bad job at hiding my identity this summer."

"Well, you did better than I did." Zuko replied. "I couldn't even _lie_ properly."

"Well...I'm glad no one has to hide for any reason anymore."

"Me too." Zuko smiled. "If I never have to face any sort of drama or war again, I'd be a very happy man."

Aang laughed. "Trust me. War or no war, there will alwayts be drama. I just didn't think I'd have to face by biggest challenge so young! I mean, Avatar Roku didn't face _his_ first real challenge until he was married and in his twenties."

Zuko smiled and pulled out Roku's artifact. "Speaking of Avatar Roku, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Do you recognize this?" He held out the artifact to Aang.

"That's Avtar Roku's headpiece." Aang noticed. "Sozin gave it to him for good luck."

Zuko nodded. "Avatar Roku...is my great-grandfather on my mom's side."

As he expected, Aang's eyes widened. "So...wow...how long have you known?"

"Since the summer solstice." Zuko answered. "It's part of the reason I came around."

"Wow...I don't know what to say." Aang chuckled. He paused for a minute. "You know, I think it's destiny that you and I met. Roku and Sozin were best friends. Roku told me that friends can transcend through lifetimes. They can last forever."

"Friends." Zuko turned away. "You know, I never considered you or Sokka or anyone as a friend until now. Mai and I were sort of friends when we were younger...she, Ty Lee, and my uncle are the closest things I had as friends until now."

There was another knock at the door. "May I come in?" Ursa asked.

"Sure." Aang said. He stood up and bowed to her. "It's nice to meet you, Lady Ursa."

Ursa smiled and bowed back. "You too, Avatar Aang."

"Zuko stood up. "Well,. I better get going. I'm planning a surprise for Uncle."

"You mean the tea shop?" Asked aang.

Zuko groaned. "Who told you?"

"Toph." Aang replied.

"...I _knew _she'd kick my ass someday..." Zuko left.

Ursa stared after Zuko with a confused look on her face.

""Zuko accidentally burned Toph's feet a while ago." Aang explained. "Toph scared the crap out of him when she went looking for him in the woods at night."

"Oh." Ursa said. "He _did_ apologize, right?"

"A hundred times."

"Well, at least he apologized." Ursa smiled.

"You must have raised him well." Aang noted. "He changed a lot since I've met him."

"I imagine he didn't make a very good first impression."

"No, he didn't." Aang responded. "I realized he must have some good in him. When he agreed to take me from the South Pole and leave all those other villagers alone, he could've burned the whole thing down, anyway; but he didn't."

Ursa smiled. "I think being a descendant of Avatar Roku helped that."

"Yeah. Me too." Aang replied.

XXXXXX

Mai walked outside of her house to meet Zuko.

"Hey." Mai kissed Zuko. "How's the tea shop coming along?"

"Great! My uncle doesn't suspect a thing." Zuko replied. "How are _you_?"

Mai smiled and shrugged. "I'm fine. Azula's death didn't shock me or sadden me. I guess I'm...relieved she died. I won't have to deal with her..."

"In a way, that makes sense." Zuko said to her. "I think if she survived, she would've fought tooth and nail for the throne."

Mai nodded. "By the way, my parents are coming in from Omashu for your coronation next week."

"Do you miss them?"

"Sort of." Mai answered. "I wish they would understand me more. I really want to tell them everything. How I feel...stuff ,like that."

"I'm sure they'll listen if you just talk to them."

"Yeah." Mai sighed."Ready for your coronation?"

"Oh, yeah. Just a little nervous."

"You'll be fine." Mai assured Zuko.

"I have to make an acceptance speech." Zuko said. "I am not very good at speaking."

"That's why you have a scribe!" Mai laughed. "And advisors."

"Still..."

"You know what? Let's just be positive about this thing, okay?" Mai suggested.

Zuko looked surprised. "Wow...you seem to be expressing more positive emotions since I came back."

Mai shrugged. "Hey, people change."

Zuko smiled. "Yeah. They really do."

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**Bleh. Random chapter, I know. Next chapter will focus on Zuko's coronation and another mention of the comet. Plus, a surprise!**


	18. The Coronation

1**Uh...none of you are right. Though they do sem like good ideas! I don't see how anyone in the Avatar world besides Aang would come back from the dead.**

**Also, Zuko and Aang are not going to sing, but they will be quoting from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical **_**Evita**_**. So...yeah.**

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Chapter 18: The Coronation

Over the next week, Zuko hired someone to write his acceptance speech for him. He memorized the entire speech word for word and practiced over and over again. He rehearsed in front of a few sages, because he wanted the speech to be a surprise for his friends and family.

Since the coronation will be at Ozai's funeral, Zuko will give his acceptance speech at the Fire Nation Plaza. Both invasion forces were attending as well as citizens around the Fire Nation, and some from the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko, Ursa, Aang, and Toph blindfolded Iroh and took him to his new tea shop as part of the surprise.

"Zuko, what is going on? I think I've had enough surprises this summer." Iroh asked his nephew.

Zuko smiled. "True, but one more surprise can't hurt." They got out of the carriage. Zuko took the blindfold off of Iroh.

Iroh gasped in surprise at what he saw. The group was standing in front of a building that looked almost exactly like the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se. "A tea shop?"

"Not_ a _tea shop." Zuko gave Iroh a key. "_Your_ tea shop."

Iroh was speechless. He took the key and stared at it. "Why?"

"I feel responsible for ruining your dream of owning your own tea shop earlier this year. I wanted to make it up to you." Zuko explained. "This way, you'll be close to home and make a living."

"Toph and I fixed it up." Aang stepped in. "I never got a chance to thank you for protecting me and Katara back in Ba Sing Se."

Iroh smiled. "Thank you...all of you. I don't know what to say."

"We're glad you love it, Uncle. You deserve it." Zuko smiled.

"Yeah." Ursa included. "You really do."

XXXXXX

The day of the funeral and coronation came. Fire Nation citizens all dressed in white and gatherd in the funeral parlor. A sage stood in front of Ozai's and Azula's coffins. Zuko, Ursa and Iroh stood off to the side.

"This is a rare occurrence that two members of the royal family pass on at the same time." The sage began. "So we will proceed in alphabetical order. Azula. Princess of our nation for fifteen years. You were the conquerer of the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se. You were sister of Zuko, daughter of Ursa, daughter of Ozai- now passed. Cousin of Lu Ten- now passed. Niece of Iroh. Friend of Mai and Ty Lee. May the nation honor your great defeat of Ba Sing Se."

Four firebenders stood on each side of Azula's coffin and set it on fire. Zuko blinked away unshed tears. They had a bad relationship, but Azula was still Zuko's sister. The sages moved the pile of ashes to make way for Ozai's coffin. The sage presiding over the funeral began again.

"Ozai. Fire Lord of our nation for five years. You were the brave conquerer of several Earth Kingdom villages. You were an excellent war strategist. You were son of Azulon and Ila, both now passed. Husband of Ursa, brother of Iroh, uncle of Lu Ten, now passed. Father of Azula, now passed. Father of Zuko. You will be succeeded by your first born son." The sage nodded to Zuko, who took a deep breath and walked in front of the sage. The firebenders lit the coffin, and the sage placed the Fire Lord's crown on Zuko's head. "Hail Fire Lord Zuko!"

Zuko smiled at his subjects as they bowed before him. He caught Mai's eyes in the front row. Mai looked happy for her boyfriend, and she was. Zuko wasn't sue how to react to everyone bowing to him. He didn't want to appear too prideful, but he was content and happy to change the world back to the way it was before the war.

XXX

After the double-funeral, it was customary in the Fire Nation for the guests to approach the family of the deceased and give their condolences. Ursa, Zuko, and Iroh stood in a line in the foyer of the funeral plaza.

"Princess Ursa, I'm so very sorry about your loss! Your husband and your daughter in one day!"

"Oh, General Iroh, you must be devastated to lose so many family members in you lifetime."

"Fire Lord Zuko, my condolences. You and your sister were always such a handful when you were children."

After two hours, the royal family were able to relax. Zuko and his friends sat around the sitting room of the palace.

"So, Fire Lord Zuko, what will your official act as Fire Lord be?" Aang asked.

"Well, technically, my acceptance speech is my first official act." Zuko replied. "My second would be figuring out what to do about the comet."

"And signing a peace treaty with the other nation's leaders." Mai put in.

Zuko nodded. "Yes, that. And giving Omashu back to King Bumi; and Ba Sing Se back to the Earth King."

"So, the war is officially over now?" Katara asked, hopefully.

"I'm going to declare it over after Zuko gives his speech." Aang told her. "I can't tell you how happy I will be when I do."

"Me too." Sokka agreed. "And I can't wait to return home to the South Pole. I really miss Gran Gran and our tribe."

Katara nodded in agreement. "You know, since Master Pakku is there, I wonder if he and Gran Gran made up."

"I think those two are a little too old to date at this point, don't you?" Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you're never too old to date!" Katara exclaimed.

Toph chuckled. "Or too _young_, right, Sugar Queen?"

Katara blushed. "Oh, hush." Her friends laughed.

XXXXXXXXX

Later that evening, people from all over the world gathered in front of the royal plaza near the harbor of the Fire Nation capital. Lo and Li were positioned on either side of the balcony. Zuko was instantly reminded of his and Azula's homecoming.

"Your Fire Lord Zuko, brave and handsome, joined the avatar to end the tyranny of Fire Lord Ozai.. They formed a rebellion and invaded the Fire Nation capital, and together, they faced the Fire Lord. Ozai fell, and Zuko became Fire Lord. The Avatar and the Fire Lord victoriously ended the war of a hundred years! Your Fire Lord, Zuko!" Everyone cheered as Zuko stepped out onto the balcony. He smiled and looked over his audience. Lo and Li continued. "And after a hundred years, your Avatar has returned. Aang!" Aang stepped out onto the balcony and stood at Zuko's side. They smiled at each other. Zuko turned back to the still cheering audience and raised his hand to silence them.

"I never thought I would get this far for a very long time." Zuko began. "And I can tell you, it won't be easy, and you'll think it's strange when I try to explain how I feel. I still need your love after all that I've done. You probably won't believe me. All you will see is a boy you once knew although he's dressed up to the nines at sixes and sevens with you. I had to let it happen. I had to change. I couldn't let my father's tyranny destroy the world. So I chose to join the Avatar in defeating my father. Three years ago, I never would have expected it. I don't want pity I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me. The truth is, I never left the Fire Nation. All through my banishment and this summer...I stayed loyal to the Fire Nation, but not to my father. As for fortune and fame, I never invited them in. Even though it seemed to the world they were all I desired. They are illusions. They're not the solutions they promise to be. The answer was here all the time. I love you and hope you love me. With the avatar's help, I want to recreate a new era of the Fire nation. Restore honor, dignity, and our pride. During my reign, I promise things will be back to the way things were before the war. Have I said too much? There is nothing more I can think of to say to you. But all you have to do is look at me to know that every word is true."

Zuko inhaled and exhaled. He stepped away from the balcony to let the audience know his speech was finished. The audience cheered loudly. Aang and Zuko exchanged glances. Aang turned to the audience and raised his hand to silence them.

"I am only a simple monk. As your Avatar, I live to assist Fire Lord Zuko and the other nation's leaders in keeping peace and balance to the world." Aang began. "I promise you this: Fire Lord Zuko will give you the respect and love you deserve. He loves you, understands you, and is one of you. He lives for your problems, and shares your ideas and your dreams. Now, as your Avatar, I officially declare the century long war over! And it's not over for just the Fire Lord, but for all of us!"

The audience cheered even louder for Aang. Aamg sighed in relief and gestured for Zuko to stand besides him. The two smiled and waved to the audience members. They did it. The war was over.

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**I wanted to make this chapter longer, but it's getting late. So, the surprise will be in the next chapter.**


	19. Engagement and Parties

1**Thanks, guys! **

**2/04/08 EDIT: Yeah...I reread the Lost Scrolls book, and Sozin's comet was a PASSING comet like you guys said, so I edited out the comet...plan thingy.**

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Chapter 19: Engagements and Parties

"My Lord, the Earth King, King Bumi, and both Water Chiefs have arrived."

Zuko smiled. "Send them in."

The four world leaders came into the war room and sat around the table. Aang ran in a few minutes later.

"Sorry I'm late." Aang apologized. "There was a riot I had to deal with on Ember Island."

"What happened there?" Zuko asked.

"Some people are a bit...skeptical about you." Aang answered carefully. "They don't think you'll make a great Fire Lord."

Zuko groaned inwardly. _'Crap. They don't the whole party-trashing thing against me, do they?'_ "Well, I've only been Fire Lord for a few weeks. They'll get used to me."

"Now that's the spirit!" Chief Arnook commented. "When I became chief of the North Pole, some people doubted I'd make a good chief. I was a...wild child growing up. The people soon realized that I was a different man then. I became a great leader. I am sure the Fire Nation will think the same of you, Lord Zuko."

"Thank you." Zuko replied. "Now, let's get down to business. The comet."

"Ah, yes." Hakoda said. "King Bumi, you were there a hundred years ago when the first comet hit. What was it like?"

"Ah, the first comet. I remember it like it was yesterday." King Bumi responded, closing his eyes and smiling. "I was a young prince then. It came an hour after sunset. The comet was just passing over. From what I heard, Fire Lord Sozin had every single Firebender he could find. Rumor had it that if a firebender is exposed to the comet, he or she would be unstoppable."

Both Zuko and Aang sighed inwardly. They were thinking the same thing sarcastically: _'Damn, Sozin was a big show-off, wasn't he? Or maybe he was just crazy...'_

"So we just need to make sure none of the firerbenders are exposed to it?" Asked the Earth King.

"That sounds about right." Chief Arnook answered.

"How are we going hide every single firebender that night?" Asked Aang.

Hakoda, who was stroking his chin in thought spoke up. "How many can fit in that bunker of yours?"

"Roughly a thousand." Zuko answered. "But there are about a million firebenders total."

"We could hide them in the catacombs of old Ba Sing Se." The Earth King suggested.

"Nd there are still underground resistance shelters in Omashu." Bumi put in.

"That still leaves us 100,000 more." Arnook said.

"We can build underground shelters." Aang suggested. "Earthbenders can build them all over the Fire Nation and Fire Nation villages in the Earth Kingdom."

"That might actually work." Chief Arnook said. Hakoda, Bumi, the Earth King, and Zuko all nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled." Zuko announced. "I'll have every firebender know of the plan by the night before the comet arrives. King Bumi and the Earth King, you'll have Earthbenders ready, right?"

They both nodded.

"Excellent." Zuko said. "I think this concludes our meeting, gentlemen. Good luck."

Everyone left the room. Zuko headed to the throne room to meet with the governor. He took a deep breath and sat on his throne. The governor came in and kneeled before him.

"My Lord." The governor said humbly.

"Hello, Governor." Zuko said pleasantly. "You may have realized since Omashu was given back to the Earth Kingdom, you'll need a new job."

The governor stiffened. He gupled. "My Lord, I've worked so hard to accomplish and strengthen my political career-"

"You misunderstood me." Zuko interrupted. "I'm not firing you. I'm transferring you to a city here in the Fire Nation."

The governor sighed in relief. "What city?"

"Kirachu Island." Zuko answered. "Their governor stepped down about a month ago."

"Yes, my Lord." The governor replied. "I will start right away."

"Good." Zuko smiled. He paused. "There is another matter I'd like to discuss with you."

"My Lord?"

"I would like to ask your daughter to marry me." Zuko said in what he hoped wasn't nervousness.

The governor stared in shock. "Why? Why choose my daughter?"

"Mai was there for me at a time when no one else was." Zuko replied. "She cares about me and I care about her. She makes me happy."

Rthe governor stayed quiet for a minute. His daughter. As Fire Lady. That would do wonders for his career. He smiled. "Yes. You have my permission."

XXXXXX

Ursa walked around a corner of the palace. She accidentally bumped into Hakoda. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't see you."

"It's all right." Hakoda said. He smiled as he recognized Ursa. "Have we met?"

Ursa smiled back. "Why yes we have, Chief Hakoda."

"How are you, Ursa?" Hakoda asked.

"I'm fine." Ursa replied. "You?"

"Perfect." Hakoda answered, staring at her. He regained his composure. "I was just heading out. I'm going back to the South Pole with Katara and Sokka. We're visiting my mother-in-law."

"Oh." Urdsa replied, sounding slightly disappointed.

"But before I go, would you like to have lunch with me?" Hakoda asked.

Ursa smiled. "I'd love to. But first, I'm meeting with my son for about a half hour."

"Then I shall wait." Hakoda responded.

"Okay." Ursa said. "Meet me at the Jasmine Dragon in an hour."

"I'll be there."

XXXXX

"He's a wonderful man, Zuko" Ursa was telling Zuko about Hakoda.

Zuko smiled. ""I think Chief Hakoda is a wonderful man, too. A great leader, compassionate, caring, loving...you like him, don't you?"

Ursa chuckled. "Is it that obvious?"

"Dreadfully." Zuko laughed. "I'm really happy for you, Mom."

Ursa smiled up at her son. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I'm guessing that wasn't the only thing you came to me about. Was it?" Zuko asked.

"Actually, no." Ursa replied. "Ang tells me that his birthday is the week after the comet. The same day as your birthday.. I thought it would be fun if we celebrated yours and Aang's birthday along with the war ending."

Zuko thought for a moment. He hadn't had a birthday party for as long as he could remember. Having one might be...fun. "I think it will be fun." Zuko replied. "Have you talked to Aang about it?"

"Yes. He's excited about it." Ursa replied. "He suggested a dance party, and I told him I'd check with you first."

Zuko laughed. 'What is it with Aang and dance parties?' He asked, remembering hearing about Aang's dance party earlier that summer. "I think it will be fine. You know what would be more fun? A kareoke party."

"As in singing?" Ursa asked, a little surprised. "I didn't know you liked to sing!"

"Well, I don't sing a lot. Just in the shower." Zuko responded. "Uncle caught me singing or humming to myself a few times during my banishment."

"A kareoke dance party." Ursa mused. "It could work! I'll tell Aang about it later. I need to get ready for my date with Hakoda."

Zuko raised his eyebrw. "Date?"

Ursa nodded and smiled., "I'll see you later, my Lord son."

Zuko smiled and shook his head as he watched his mother leave the throne room. Ursa used to call Ozai her Lord husband before she got banished.

XXXXXXXX

Zuko headed towards Mai's house to pick her up for their date. Katara ran to him.

"Hey, Zuko, have you seen my dad?" Katara asked.,

"Yeah. He's at the Jasmine Dragon with my mom." Zuko answered.

Katara smiled. "Oh. You know, it's good that we're all starting to get along. Now people from the Water Tribe and Fire Nation are becoming friends."

"Yeah. Some are even falling in love with each other." Zuko smiled at his half-joke.

Katara chuckled. "Yeah. I'm glad your mom and my dad are becoming friends."

"More like boyfriend/girlfriend." Zuko commented. "They're on a date right now."

Katara stared. "What?"

"Didn't...didn't your dad tell you?" Zuko asked.

"No, he didn't tell me."

"Oh." Zuko replied embarrassed. "Well, I better go pick Mai up. I'm going to propose to her."

"Really? Congratulations!"

"Well, she hasn't said yes yet." Zuko chuckled. "But thanks."

"You're welcome."

XXXXX

Katara headed to the Jasmine Dragon. Aang was coming out of the building as Katara approached.

"Hey." Aang greeted. "I wouldn't go in there..."

"I know, Aang." Katara responded. "I know my dad is on a date with Zuko's mom."

"Oh. How did you know?"

"Zuko told me."

Aang nodded. "Your dad wanted to tell both you and Sokka...after he returned."

Katara sighed. "Is he happy?"

"Come see for yourself." Aang took Katara's hand. They stood at a corner and watched Hakoda and Ursa talk and giggle. Katara's eyes stung with tears. She swallowed hard. "You know, I haven't seen my dad this happy since he was with my mom."

"They've been through so much during the war." Aang said in a low voice.. "I mean, Ursa got banished and imprisoned by her husband, her husband and her daughter both died the same day. Your dad lost his wife in a Fire Nation raid...and you know, both you and Sokka had a few near-death incidents."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Haha."

"My point is..." Aang responded. "Don't you think they deserve happiness?"

Katara smiled. "Yeah...they really do."

Aang smiled back. "So, should we tell Sokka?"

"Nah. I think it would be better if only one of us kids know."

"Yeah, good point." Aang laughed.

"Aang...your voice is getting deeper." Katara noticed.

Aang's eyes widened. "I must be starting puberty."

Katara smiled. Aang is growing up.

XXXXXXX

Teo wheeled over to where Toph was practicing her earthbending. He smiled at the girl. Aside from her toughness, Toph was the most amazing girl Teo ever met. And prettiest.

"I can see you, you know." Toph called to Teo.

Teo laughed softly. "Sorry. I couldn't help watching you."

"Well, I didn't say it was a bad thing." Toph answered. "What's up?"

Teo sighed. "Nothing much. I'm seeing a lot of love going on."

"Well, what did you expect? The war's over now." Toph said, rolling her eyes.

"I know. I guess I'm a little jealous." Teo admitted. "I mean, my dad definately loves me."

"But you wish someone romantically loves you." Toph guessed.

"Yeah."

Toph was quiet for a minute. Teo was charming and funny to be around. It's surprising he doesn't have a girlfriend. She smiled.

"Can I try something?" Asked Toph.

Teo looked a bit nervous. "Should I be worried?"

Toph chuckled. "No." She walked over to where Teo was and kneeled down. Toph felt Teo's shoulders, then his hair, then his face. Teo smiled. He gently took Toph's shoulders and pulled her into a kiss.,

"Teo?!" Toph said in a muffled voice. She pulled away. "What the hell was that?"

Teo blushed. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I just...you're pretty. And funny, and smart..."

Now it was Toph's turn to blush. "No, no. I was just...surprised."

"Really? It wasn't bad?" Teo asked, hopefully.

"No, it wasn't." Toph smiled. "But if you tell anyone we kissed, I'll earthbend the shit out of you."

"Ok, deal." Teo raised his hands.

XXXXXXXXXX

Later, Zuko and Mai were enjoying another sunset picnic.

"I still think orange is an awful color." Mai commented.

Zuko smiled. "Have I mentioned you look beautiful today?"

"Yes, about a million times." Mai said in mock annoyance. "But it's still good to hear."

"I'll keep that in mind." Zuko replied. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Zuko inhaled and exhaled slowly. He stood up, pulling Mai with him.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked.

"Nothing." Zuko smiled. "Mai...we've been together a long time. We love each other. You're the most amazing girl I've ever met and so much more."

"What are you saying?" Mai asked again.

"Mai..." Zuko got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

Mai stared in surprise. She wasn't ready yet. The legal age of marriage is sixteen. She wouldn't be sixteen for another nine months. Even though Mai loved Zuko, she couldn't marry him yet. She looked at him, her eyes pleading for him to understand.

"No."

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DON'T KILL ME! -runs and hides- XD Don't worry, she'll say yes eventually.


	20. Rejections and Acceptances

1Sorry for the long wait, guys!

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Chjapter 20: rejections and Acceptances

Zuko stared at Mai for a minute. "What?"

Mai sighed. "I'm sorry, Zuko. It's just that I'm not ready yet. I'm not the marrying type!"

Zuko shook his head in diselief. "Well, that ewas a waste of tyime, then."

"What?"

"Sitting in front of the mirror rehearsing my proposal." Zuko answered. "But hey, I'm not the first to be rejected, right?"

"I'm not rejecting you, I'm just saying 'Not yet'." Mai insisted. "I do want to marry you, just not now."

Zuko was silent for a few minutes. He sighed. "Fine. You know, I was going to give you a gold engagement bracelet, but I can see now, I wated my time."

Mai just stared at him. "Zuko, I'm not breaking up with you."

"I'll see you around." Zuko said, ignoing Mai. "I have a meting to get to."

Mai watched Zuko walk off. She groaned and threw her head back.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hakoda headeed to the guest room where je aned Sokka were sharing. Sokka and Katara were playing a cards game.

"Hey, Dad." Katara greeted.

"Sokka, Katara, I need to tell you two ssomething." Hakoda said in a businesslike tone. He sat on the bed. Sokka and Katara looked interested. Hakoda sighed. "Ever since I lost oyur mother, I thought I'd never fall in love again.But then I met someone."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"Do you know Ursa? Zuko's mother?" Hakoda asked. Sokka and Katara nodded. "Well...it looks like she and I are going to become more than friends./"

"Meaning?" Sokka asked, confused.

Katara rolled her eyes. "They're dating, Sokka."

"Who?"

"Dad and Zuko's mom!" Katara replied, exasperated. "Spirits, you are slow sometimes!"

"Wait a minute/..." Sokka turned to Hjakoda. "You're in love with a firebender?"

Hakoda nodded. "She's really nice. You two will love her."

Katara smiled. "I'm sure we will. Ursa seems like a nice lady."

Hakoda smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Katara. Ursa is a nice lady."

Sokka was flabbagasted. "Wait, what?"

"What?" Katara raised her arms.

"She's Fire nation!" Sokka pointed pout.

"So? Suki's Earth Kingdom." Katara retorted. "Look, Sokka, Zuko signed a treaty with both water Tribes, and the Earth Kingdom. What's the big deal?"

"It's just weird! We just finished the war against the Fire nation." Sokka admitted.

"I know it's hard to accept, Sokka." Hakoda stepped in. "You'll get used to me and Ursa dating."

Sokka sighed. "Yeah...maybe."

"Sokka, don't you think that after Dad and Ursa have been through during the war, they deserve happiness?" Katara asked. "They've been through so much."

Sokka thought about that for a few minutes. He gave in. "Yeah. I guess they do." He smiled. "I'm happy for you, Dad."

"Thank you, Sokka." Hakoda smiled and held out his arms. "Come here."

Sokka and Katara walked closer to their dad. Hakoda continued. "You know I wouldn't do something like this without consulting you first. You two are my first priority."

Katara hugged her father. "Thanks, Dad. We know."

"Yeah." Sokka agreed. He hugged Hakoda as well. "But if you two get married, I am not calling Ursa 'Mom'!"

All three laughed.

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	21. Changes

1**Nothing to say here except that there are five more chapters after this.**

**2/4/08 EDIT: Yeah...I edited this chapter as well as chapter 19. You might want to reread these two chapters before continuing. Since I changed my mind, there will only be four more chapters.**

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Chapter 21: Changes

One week before the comet, the nations' leaders had the day the comet arrives all planned out. Underground shelters were built all over the Fire and Eartrh nations. Every firebender was told to gide in those shelters overnight.

Zuko was addressing his subjects at the plaza. "I know a lot of you were looking forward to the comet. But please know that once the comet is gone...we can finally go back to where the Fire Nation used to be: peaceful and kind and civilized with other nations."

Zuko walked away from the balcony and headed back to the carriage that took him, Iroh, and Ursa back to the palace. Zuko addressed Iroh.

"What's new in town?"

"A lot of citizens are starting to grow on you." Iroh smiled. "You do know there will be some who will oppose you?"

"I'm aware of that." Zuko replied.

XXXXX

Katara smiled as she looked around her improved hometown. Master Pakku stood by on his promise to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe. There were more igloos and even small buildings. It was a small town with sidewalks, houses, a few restaurants and stores, and a play area for children. Sokka joked about putting a sign on a beach that said "Welcome to the new and improved South Pole!".

"Katara!" Aang called from a distance. He jogged toward the waterbender.

"Hi, Aang!" Katara greeted her boyfriend. "Well, what do you think?" She gestured around her at her neighborhood.

Aang looked around in amazement. "Wow. It looks great! The Northern waterbenders really went all out."

"They sure did." Katara agreed. "They're building a school now!"

"Really?" Aang's eyes widened.

Katara nodded. "I'm planning on teaching there in a few years."

"You'll be great." Aang replied.

"Thanks." Katara kissed Aang on the cheek. "Where's Toph?"

"She's in Gaoling visiting her parents." Aang answered. "Where are Sokka and Suki?"

"They're on Kyoshi Island. Suki's parents were imprisoned during the last ten years of the war, and they're home."

"Good for them!" Aang responded.

Katara chuckled. "Yeah. I'm interested about Suki's dad's reaction to his daughter already having a boyfriend."

Aang laughed. "Me too, actually. And Toph's parents."

"Mmm-hmm." Katara took Aang's hand. "Come on. I promised the little kids I'd let them know when you arrived. They're dying to see you again."

"Okay!" Aang let Katara drag him towards the play area.

XXXXX

Toph took a deep breath as she walked towards her parent's front door. It has been six months since she left home. She wondered if they received her letter. She knocked on the door three times and waited.

A servant opened the door. He looked surprised to see Toph. "Toph?"

Toph shrugged. "In the flesh. Are my parents home?"

"Yes, of course." The servant opened he door wider. "Come on in."

Toph walked into the foyer. The house still felt and smelt the same as the last time she was here. The servant led Toph to the sitting room.

"Mr. Bei Fong? Your daughter is here." Toph heard the servent tell them. There was a pause, then...

"Send her in."

Toph slowly walked in front of where her parent were sitting. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

"Toph!" As expectd, Toph's mother ran to her daughter and hugged her tightly. She pulled away. "You will not scare us like that again. Understood?"

Toph nodded. "Did you get my letter?"

"We did." Lao said. "You still need to explain yourself."

"Well, Dad...my explanation is simple: you don't accept me for who I am, so you chose to hide me from the world. So I ran away with the Avatar and his friends. I taught Aang earthbending, I traveled the world, and I helped save it." Toph said. "If I hadn't run away, Aang and his friends would have been pretty much screwed."

Toph waited. Her dad finally spoke. "I see. Go on."

"And...I accepted te fact that you can't accept me, and that's okay." Toph went on. "I'm fine on my own. If you want me to move back in, that's fine too, but only if you let me do whatever I please and stop hiding me or overprotecting me."

The Bei Fongs were silent for another minute.

"All right." Lao answered. "We will consider it."

Toph sighed and smiled in relief. "Great. I'll put my stuff in my room, then."

XXXX

Iroh walked to Zuko's throne room. His nephew has grown so much in his almost-seventeen years. He was proud of him. Iroh and Zuko talked quite a few times since the day Ozai and Azula died. But they never really talked.

"Uncle." Zuko greeted Iroh as he walked in. He smiled. "How's your tea shop?"

"Wonderful." Iroh replied. "Business is booming. I rn into your friend Jin a few days ago."

"I thought she went back to Ba Sing Se." Zuko thought aloud.

"She did. She was visiting with her boyfriend."

'Boyfriend?' Zuko thought. He sighed inwardly. 'Oh well. It's better that way. Her boyfriend doesn't have a dark secret...well, okay, mine wasn't that datk, but still...'

"That's good she found someone to be happy with." Zuko smiled.

"Are you happy?" Iroh asked.

Zuko sighed again. Typical Iroh... "Not entirely. I will be happier once the comet is dealt with."

"I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way." Iroh smiled. He paused. "We've been through so much together. You've grown up. I'm very proud of you."

Zuko smiled. "Thanks, Uncle. I'm proud of you, too." It was Zuko's turn to pauze. "You know...I was going to free you from your prison in the prison tower adfter the eclipse."

Iroh's eyes widened. "You were?"

Zuko nodded. "I guess I took too long to realize my father wasn't worth it."

Iroh laughed softly. "I guess I didn't wait long enough. Better late than never, I suppose."

"Yeah." Zuko nodded. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"You don't have to apologize, my nephew. It's in the past." Iroh said sincerely.

"Thanks. I'm glad." Zuko rep\lied. "Now, on a lighter note, what's this I hear about you dating Lo and Li?"

Iroh chuckled. "Well, they are quite cute. And excellent cooks!"

"Whatever." Zuko chuckled, shaking his head. "Just don't take them to the beach." He shuddered at the memory of seeing the twins in swimming suits.

Iroh chuckled. "Zuko...Fire Lord Zuko...what I really came here for was to tell you that I love you and I care about you. I should have told you this a long time ago. I also need you as much as you need me."

Zuko chuckled. "Well, better late than never." They both laughed. "I love you, too."

Zuko stepped down from his throne and hugged his uncle. The two heard footsteps.

"Ugh, please, no more sappiness." Mai joked and smiled as she walked into the room.

"I'll leave you two alone." Iroh said. He walked out.

"To what do I owe this honor?" Zuko asked politely/.

"Well...I came to tell you that I'm moving in with my parents." Mai replied. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

Zuko's face fell. "Oh. All right. Have fun."

"Thanks."

"I'll miss you."

Mai was silent for a minute. "Good-by, Zuko." She turned to leave./

Zuko walked after her. "Mai, wait!" He grabbed her hand gently and turned her around. "I love you."

Mai sighed. "Zuko, I can't. Expressing myself is useless. Every time I do, I just keep getting shot down."

"What?" Zuko was surprised. "Where is this coming from?"

"My parents! You know they hate it when I express myself!"

"Well, your parents suck then!" Mai gasped. Zuko cringed. "Mai, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound harsh. Seriously, though. What's stopping you from expressing yourself if your parents don't approve?"

Mai just shrugged. "I gotta go. I'm sorry."

Zuko watched as Mai walked out of the throne room. He sighed.

'Things will never be back to normal, will it?' He thought sadly.

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**Hey, what's romance without drama? Seriously? Remember, there are five chapters left. Anything can happen!**


	22. The Comet

1**All right! I edited chapters 19 and 21, so you might want to go back and read those two chapters before you read this one.**

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Chapter 22: The Comet

It was the last day of summer. The night of the comet. Supplies were readied for the firebenders in the shelters. Aang needed to take a trip to the Spirit World in case Avatar Roku had anything to say.

"Surprisingly, the only spiritual place in the Fire Nation is either Roku's home or Roku's temple." Zuko as saying to Aang. "We lost our spirituality when Sozin began the war."

"Yeah, that figures..." Aang shrugged. "No problem. I'll go to the Crescent Island and I'll be back by sundown."

Zuko nodded. "See you later."

XXX

Aang flew over the crescent-shaped island looking for a good spot to sit and meditate. Finding one, Aang hopped off Appa and sat down in his meditating stance. A few minutes later, the Avatar found himself in the Spirit World.

Smiling, Aang saw his three previous lives.

"Well done, Aang." Roku said, smiling. "We knew you could do it."

"I couldn't have done it without my friends." Aang responded. "I can't believe it took me so long to realize that I'll need my friends no matter what."

"Very wise." Avatar Yangchen said. It took Aang a ferw moments to remember where he'd seen Yangchen before.

"I remember you." Aang said, his brows furrowed in remembrance. "You were in...well, it was like a forgotten dream of mine. After...I got shot."

"What else do you remember from that dream?" Asked Kuruk with interest.

"I remember learning that we all need to live together. That we all need to live together in peace. That way, we'd all get along." Aang replied.

Kyoshi nodded. "We also all make mistakes. No one is perfect. Not even the Avatar."

Aang nodded. "So, now that ther war is over...what now?"

"Spend time with your friends and family, master all four elements, keep peace and harmony throughout the world..." Kyoshi answered. "Be a kid."

Aang smiled. "I'd love that."

"Before you go, Aang, a few people would like to speak with you." Roku said He gestured for Aang to follow him. Aang complied. Roku led him to a building (_'There are buildings in the Spirit World?'_ Aang thought, confused.). A group of people were waiting.

Aang immediately spotted Gyatso. "Gyatso?"

"I am very proud of you, Aang." Gyatso smiled.

"I'm sorry I left you." Aang apologized. "I shouldn't have."

"It is quite all right. I would have done the same thing." Gyatso replied.

Aang smiled and turned to Yue.

"I knew you could do it, Aang." Yue smiled. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks."

"Tell Sokka I said 'Hi'." Yue continued. She then smirked. "And tell that girlfriend of his that if she hurts him, I'll come down from the Spirit world and say a few things to her."

Aang laughed. "Will do."

Jet appeared from behind Yue. He still looked the same. "Hey, Aang. Thanks for ending the war."

"No problem." Aang replied, smiling. "I'll tell Katara you said 'hi'."

Jet nodded and stepped back into the crowd. A woman in her thirties stepped in front of Aang. She was from the Water Tribe. Aang noticed that she looked a lot like Katara.

"Are you...Katara's and Sokka's mom?" Aang asked her.

The woman nodded. "Tell my children and my husband I am very proud of them. I love them, and will always be watching over them."

Aang nodded. "I'll pass along the message."

A young man in his early twenties walked up to Aang. He had dark brown hair and amber eyes. "Hello, Avatar Aang. My name is Lu Ten. I'm General Iroh's son and Lord Zuko's cousin."

Aang bowed in greeting. "Nice to meet you. Iroh told me a lot about you."

Lu Ten winced. "Nothing embarrassing, right?"

Aang laughed. "No."

Lu Ten smiled. "Good. Please tell my father and cousin and aunt I love them and that I'm proud of them."

"Wow, so many messages." Aang chuckled. "I'll tell them."

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, a scream of excitement can be heard from Katara's, Sokka's, and Hakoda's guest house at the Fire Nation palace.

"You're getting married?" Katara asked Hakoda, surprised. "So soon? When? Where will we live?"

Hakoda chuckled. "Whoa, slow down, Katara. We haven't set a date yet. I'm the chief of the south pole, so I have to be at home. Ursa is going to live with us, but we'll come back here every few weeks to visit."

Katara nodded. "Spirits, this is so exciting! Wow...does Zuko know yet?"

"Ursa's on her way to tell him right now." Hakoda answered. He turned to his son, who was quiet. "Sokka, you seem quiet."

"It's all so...I don't know...changing." Sokka responded. "I'm happy for you, Dad. Really. But I don't know how much more change I can take!"

Katara laughed. "Well, Aang proposed to me..."

"WHAT?!" Sokka exclaimed.

Katara laughed harder. "I'm kidding, Sokka! He's way too young to get married anyway."

They heard a knock at the door. Aang came in. "Hi. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Of course not, Aang." Katara smiled. "Dad was just telling us he and Ursa are engaged!"

Aang smiled. "Really? Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Aang." Hakoda replied. "How was the Spirit World?"

"It was great!" Aang replied. "I saw four of my past lives...and a few people who...passed on."

"Like Yue?" Sokka asked.

Aang nodded. "She says 'Hi."

Sokka smiled and sighed. "Who else did you see?"

"Gyatso." Aang replied. "He said he's really proud of me...and he forgave me for running away."

Katara smiled and put a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder. "You must have been very relieved."

"I am." Aang answered. "I also saw your mother, Katara."

Katara looked away and sighed. Aang continued. "She said she's really proud of you, Sokka, and your dad. She loves you and will always be watching over you."

Tears fell from Katara's cerulean eyes. "It's just not fair."

"What's not fair?" Asked Aang.

"You saw her, and I didn't." Katara sniffed and wiped her tears. "I know you're the bridge between worlds, but still..."

Aang sighed and hugged Katara. "Katara, you know the ones who loved us never leave us. Instead, it's reborn in the form of new love. The Guru taught me that."

Katara smiled. Sokka stroked his chin in thought. "So...Yue took the form of from Suki, or...what? I don't get it."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sokka, that's exactly what it means. And...Mom took the form of Ursa. I haven't had a mother in so long. I'd love for Ursa to be a part of our family. And Sokka, you did say you've always wanted a brother." She winked.

Sokka groaned slightly. "True..."

They all laughed.

XXXXXXX

After dinner, Zuko, Ursa, Iroh, and Aang headed down to the bunker along with every firebender who could fit in the bunker. Aang told Iroh, Ursa, and Zuko of Lu Ten's message. Iroh wept in happiness. After that drama, Ursa lightened up the mood.

"I can not believe after all the excited talks from Ozai about the comet, he's not even here." Ursa shook her head in amusement.

"Destiny is a funny thing." Iroh replied.

Aang smiled. Yeah. My greatest fear, and I had nothing to worry about."

"What's your greatest fear now?" Zuko asked with interest.

Aang shrugged. "I guess losing Katara and the people I love."

"How did I know you were going to say that?" Zuko chuckled.

"I guess I'm predictable?" Aang shrugged and chuckled. "I don't know."

XXXXX

Katara, Sokka, Hakoda, and Suki lay on the grass outside the palace courtyard watching for the comet.

"I can't believe it's all over so suddenly." Suki admitted. "It seems like yesterday the Fire Nation attacked Kyoshi Island."

"Yeah." Sokka replied. "Seems like yesterday Katara and I found Aang in that iceberg."

"It does, doesn't it?" Katara nodded. She noticed the comet passing over their heads.

Sokka smiled. "And best of all: no fire lord to harness the energy of the comet!

"Or firebenders." Hakoda put in.

XXXXXXXX

Little did anyone know that a small group of firebenders were standing outside their home watching the comet pass.

"Chiyo, we are risking banishment." A tall man in his twenties declared.

"Fire Lord Zuko is not fit for the throne." Chiyo replied. "Lord Ozai wanted to end the war with the Fire Nation the dominant nation...Zuko wants equality. Something has to be done about that."

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**Don't worry, I'm writing a sequel. This story isn't over yet, though, There's still a loose end. -pokes Mai-**


	23. Numb

1Chapter 23: Numb

Mai sighed in boredom as she looked out the window at the sunset. She couldn't stop thinking about Zuko and his proposal and what he said to her. He was right. She shouldn't care that much about what here parents say or do. After all, her dad did approve of her marrying Zuko.

'_I wish I said yes right away.'_ She thought sadly.

XXXXX

Katara walked around the courtyard of the Fire Nation royal palace. Hakoda and Ursa set a date to be married on the Winter Solstice. Katara spotted Zuko feeding turtle-ducks by the pond and walked over to him.

"Hey, Stepbrother!" Katara greeted Zuko.

Zuko smiled and turned to her. "Hello."

"Mind if I join?"

"Sure."

Katara sat next to Zuko. "So, what's the Fire Lord doing feeding turtleducks?"

"It's my day off." He replied half-jokingly. He chuckled. His thoughts drifted off to Mai. Zuko couldn't stop thinking about her, and always carried the bracelet he was going to give her with him. Zuko wondered if it was meant to be.

Katara noticed Zuko looked distant. "Are you okay? You seem a little distracted."

"I'm sorry. I guess I was just thinking." Zuko shook his head slowly.

"About Mai?" Katara guessed.

"Yeah." Zuko said softly. "I just can't stop thinking about her. I know it was her choice to not marry me, but still...I wish she said yes."

Katara put a comforting hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I'm sorry. But you've got to move on."

"I know." Zuko stood up. "You k now, I was going to ask Mai to sing with me at my and Aang's birthday party, but considering..."

Katara shrugged. "So, sing with me."

"Are you sure?" Zuko raised his eyebrow.

"Why not? I don't mind learning a new song and singing twice." Katrara replied.

Zuko smiled. "Thanks, Katara. I have a meeting with the sages later tonight, but why don't we practice and choose a song tomorrow?"

"Sounds good." Katara replied. Zuko turned a walked off. Katara noticed Zuko dropped the engagement bracelet he was going to give Mai. "Wait, Zuko! You forgot this!"

"Keep it." Zuko replied. "I have no use for it now."

"Oh. Ok, thanks." Katara smiled at him. She watched Zuko disappear into the palace and sighed. He seemed really depressed about Mai. If only there was some way to get those two back together...

Suddenly, an idea formed in Katara's mind.

XXXX

Katara headed back to her rental apartment she was sharing with Sokka, Aang, Suki, Toph, Teo, and Hakoda. Everyone except Hakoda sat in the sitting room. Katara told everyone her idea.

"So, let me get this straight," Sokka spoke up. "You want to get Mai and Zuko back together by talking things out with Mai and getting her to sing with Zuko?"

Katara nodded. "I already offered to sing with Zuko. We're choosing a song tomorrow. If we plan carefully, this could work!"

"But what if Mai still doesn't want to get back together with Zuko?" Aang asked.

"Well, then I guess I'll still sing with him and Zuko will have to find someone else to marry." Katara replied.

"Then let's get to work." Toph said.

"There's a Kabuki musical coming to town tonight." Suki piped up. "Maybe we can get some inspiration."

"Good idea!"

"Yeah."

"All right, then." Sokka stood up. "We'll choose a song, then tomorrow, Suki and I will fnd Mai and talk to her. Aang, can we borrow Appa?"

"Sure." Aang replied. "Let 'Operation: Bring Mai and Zuko Back Together' begin!"

XXXXX

The next day, a song was chosen. Sokka took two extra copies and he and Suki flew off to Mai's house.

Mai's maidservant came in her room.

"Mai, you have some visitors."

Mai sighed and went to greet her visitors. "Sokka? Suki? What are you guys doing here?"

"We need to have a talk." Sokka answered. "About Zuko."

Mai listened as Sokka and Suki told her everything. From Zuko carrying the bracelet with him everywhere to Zuko wishing he could be with Mai. Mai sighed partly with relief and regret.

"He really loves you, Mai." Suki added.

"The truth is...so do I." Mai replied. "I wish I said yes, too."

Sokka grinned. So far, their plan was working. "Well, we do have an idea." He pulled out the song copies and the bracelet.

"What is that?" Mai asked.

"The song Zuko and Katara were going to sing at Zuko's and Aang's party." Sokka answered.

"And how am I supposed to learn a new song and memorize it in three days?"

"Sokka will help you." Suki added.

Mai smiled. "Ok, I'm in."

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**The next three chapters are going to have songs in them, so I hope you guys won't mind.**

**-cough-there'salsogonnabehighschoolmusicalsongs-cough- -runs-**


	24. The Party part 1

1**As much as I want to use that song, All For One doesn't really fit since Summer already ended. -shrug- **

**Anyway, I do not own the song Breaking Free. It belongs to High School Musical/Disney/whatever.**

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Chapter 24: The Party part 1

The plaza at the Fire Nation royal palace was decorated with red, gold, and orange colored streamers and paper lanterns in honor of the Avatar and the Fire Lord. Citizens from all nations were talking, laughing, and getting to know each other.

Presents were piled up in on corner. A stage was placed in the center of the back of the hall the party was being held. Tables were along the sides leaving room for dancing.

"Wow, Katara, you and Ursa went all-out." Aang said, imnpressed.

Katara smiled gratefully and proudly. "Thanks! You know, this is the first birthday I celebrated in years."

"Well, don't feel bad. This is the first birthday I celebrated in over a century!:" Aang exclaimed. They both laughed.

Sokka and Suki ran up to them.

"She's here." Suki answered. "She doesn't want Zuko to know until they sing together."

"Wow, I never knew Mai was a romantic." Katara giggled.

"Same here!" Suki replied, laughing. "Anyway, Happy Birthday, Aang."

"Thanks, Suki." Aang smiled. "All right, let's have a good time!"

A few minutes later, all of the guests arrived. Ursa smiled and walked up on the stge. The Fire Nation invented a transmitter, which was useful for big crowds. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the singing portion of this birthday party." Everyone cheered. Ursa waited for them to calm down. "First up is Avatar Aang ad Katara of the Southern water Tribe!"

Katara and Aang got up on stage. Katara smiled and Aang and turned to the crowd.

"Before we sing, there's something I wanna say first." She said loudly. "Ever since my mother died I filled the void of not having a mother by acting like one myself. I acted like one for Aang's sake...but then...I began falling in love with him." She blushed. "Then another thing happened. My father fell in love again also. He fell in love with one of the kindest woman I've met since my mom passed. It was unexpected since Ursa is Fire Nation, but, really, what does that matter? As long as the person you fall in love with is caring and kind and treats you like a prince or a princess...it shouldn't matter what nation you're from. So in addition to dedicating this song to me and Aang, I also want to dedicate this song to Ursa and my father, Hakoda."

Katara and Aang smiled at each other as the introduction began playing.

_Aang:_

_We're soarin', flyin'_

_There's not a star in heaven_

_That we can't reach_

_Katara:_

_If we're trying_

_So we're breaking free_

_Aang:_

_You know the world can see us_

_In a way that's different than who we are_

_Katara:_

_Creating space between us_

'_Til we're separate hearts_

_Both:_

_But your faith it gives me strength_

_Strength to believe_

_Aang:_

_We're breakin' free_

_Katara:_

_We're soarin'_

_Aang:_

_Flyin'_

_Both:_

_There's not a star in heaven_

_That we can't reach_

_Aang:_

_If we're trying_

_Both:_

_Yeah, we're breaking free_

_Aang:_

_Oh, we're breakin' free_

_Katara:_

_Ohhhh_

_Aang:_

_Can you feel it building_

_Like a wave the ocean just can't control_

_Katara:_

_Connected by a feeling_

_Ohhh, in our very souls_

_Aang:_

_Very souls_

_Ohhh_

_Both:_

_Rising 'til it lifts us up_

_So everyone can see_

_Aang: _

_We're breakin' free_

_Katara: _

_We're soarin'_

_Aang: _

_Flyin'_

_Both:_

_There's not a star in heaven_

_That we can't reach_

_Aang:_

_If we're trying_

_Yeah we're breaking free_

_Oh, we're breaking free_

_Katara:_

_Ohhhh_

_We're runnin'_

_Aang:_

_Ooh climbin'_

_To get to that place_

_Both:_

_To be all that we can be_

_Aang:_

_Now's the time_

_Both:_

_So we're breaking free_

_Aang:_

_We're breaking free_

_Katara:_

_Ohhh , yeah_

_Aang:_

_More than hope_

_More than faith_

_Katara:_

_This is true_

_This is fate_

_And together_

_Both:_

_We see it comin'_

_Aang:_

_More than you_

_More than me_

_Katara:_

_Not a want, but a need_

_Both:_

_Both of us breakin' free_

_Katara: _

_Soarin'_

_Aang: _

_Flyin'_

_Both:_

_There's not a star in heaven_

_That we can't reach_

_If we're trying_

_Aang: _

_Yeah we're breaking free_

_Katara:_

_Breaking free_

_We're runnin'_

_Aang:_

_Ohhhh, climbin'_

_Both:_

_To get to the place_

_To be all that we can be_

_Now's the time_

_Aang: _

_Now's the time_

_Katara: _

_So we're breaking free_

_Aang: _

_Ohhh, we're breaking free_

_Katara: _

_Ohhhh_

_Both:_

_You know the world can see us_

_In a way that's different than who we are_

Everyone cheered for Aang and Katara. The two took hands and bowed. Katara turned to Aang and kissed him on the cheek. Aang blushed shyly.

"I'm still getting used to that." Aang chuckled.

The two headed off the stage. Zuko and Ursa ere waiting for them.

"You sounded so good out there." Ursa complimented.

"Yeah, nice job, you two." Zuko added.

"Thanks." Katara said. "Good luck, Zuko."

"You too." Zuko replied, slightly confused. Aang ran to Toph.

"Hey, is she here yet?" He asked.

Toph nodded. "Let the mushyness begin!"

Aang chuckled and stood at the side of the stage as Ursa announced Zuko's turn.

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**You didn't expect me to use all three songs in one chapter, did you:P Anyway, the last two songs will be in the next chapter, then at least one more after that.**


	25. The Party part 2

1**Thanks, guys! The next two songs are from both High School Musicals. Everyday and We're All In This Together. The chapter after this one will be the epilogue.** **Oh, about We're All In This Together, I'm changing one word. WildcatsBenders. -winks-**

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Chapter 25: The Party part 2

Zuko took a deep breath as the introduction started playing.

_Zuko:_

_Once in a lifetime_

_Means there's no second chance_

_So I believe that you and me_

_Should grab it while we can_

_Mai:_

_Make it last forever_

_And never give it back_

Zuko looked around, confused. He didn't recognize the voice, but it sounded familiar.

_Zuko:_

_It's our turn, and I'm lovin' where we're at_

_Zuko and Mai:_

_Because this moment's really all we have_

Mai started walking toward the stage, smiling. Zuko was still a little puzzled.

_Zuko:_

_Everyday_

_Of our lives,_

_Mai:_

_Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight_

_Zuko:_

_Gonna run_

_Zuko and Mai:_

_While we're young_

_And keep the faith_

Zuko noticed that Mai was wearing the engagement bracelet he got her. He smiled and put the pieces together.

_Zuko:_

_Everyday_

_Zuko and Mai:_

_From right now,_

_Gonna use our voices and scream out loud_

_Mai:_

_Take my hand_

Mai extended her hand allowing Zuko to take it.

_Zuko:_

_Together we_

_Will celebrate,_

_Mai:_

_Celebrate._

_Zuko and Mai:_

_Oh, ev'ryday._

Mai and Zuko smiled at each other and hugged. Their friends cheered for them as Mai and Zuko headed up onstage and continued singing.

_Mai:_

_They say that you should follow_

_Zuko:_

_And chase down what you dream,_

_Mai:_

_But if you get lost and lose yourself_

_Zuko:_

_What does it really mean?_

_Mai:_

_Ohh,_

_no matter where we're going,_

_Zuko:_

_Ooh, yeah_

_It starts from where we are._

_Mai:_

_There's more to life when we listen _

_Both:_

_to our hearts_

_And because of you, I've got the strength to start_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_Everyday_

_Of our lives,_

_Mai:_

_Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight_

_Both:_

_Gonna run_

_While we're young_

_And keep the faith._

_Oh Everyday_

_From right now,_

_Gonna use our voices and scream out loud_

_Take my hand,_

_Together we_

_Will celebrate,_

_Mai:_

_Oh, ev'ryday_

_Zuko:_

_We're taking it back,_

_We're doing it here_

_Together!_

_Mai:_

_It's better like that,_

_And stronger now_

_Than ever!_

_Zuko:_

_We're not gonna lose._

_Both:_

_'Cause we get to choose._

_That's how it's gonna be!_

_Zuko:_

_Everyday_

_Of our lives,_

_Mai:_

_Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight._

_Zuko:_

_Gonna run_

_While we're young_

_Both:_

_And keep the faith_

_Keep the faith!_

_All:_

_Everyday_

_Of our lives,_

_Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight._

_Gonna run (gonna run)_

_While we're young_

_And keep the faith_

Zuko and Mai looked at their friends in mild surprise when they joined in the singing. Mai went left to the stage and pulled Aang onstage. Zuko went to the right and offered his hand to Katara, who took it. Everyone got into a big circle holding hands and singing.

_Whoa yeah yeah_

_Everyday (everyday)_

_From right now, (from right now)_

_Gonna use our voices and scream out loud_

_Take my hand; (take my hand)_

_Together we_

_Will celebrate,_

_Ev'ryday!_

_Live ev'ry day! (Ohhh)_

_Love ev'ryday! (Everyday)_

_Live ev'ryday! (Oh Everyday)_

_Love ev'ryday! (Oh Everyday)_

_Na, na Ev'ryday!_

_Ooh yeah_

_I say_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

_Ev'ryday_

Everyone stood in a line. One by one, they raised their linked hands.

_Zuko:_

_Ev'ryday_

_Yeah_

Everyone cheered and applauded. Zuko and Mai turned to face each other.

"Mai...does this mean...?" Zuko asked.

Mai smiled. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you. I'm sorry I took so long."

Zuko laughed. "It's fine." They hugged again.

"All right! The gang's all together now!" Sokka exclaimed. "Now it's time for one last song!"

Upbeat music started playing. The teens started cheering and dancing.

_All:_

_Together, together, together everyone_

_Together, together, come on lets have some fun_

_Together, were there for each other every time_

_Together together, come on lets do this right_

_Zuko:_

_Here and now its time for celebration_

_I finally figured it out (yeah yeah)_

_That all our dreams have no limitations_

_That's what its all about_

_Mai:_

_Everyone is special in their own way_

_We make each other strong_

_Ty Lee and Toph:_

_Each other strong_

_Mai:_

_Were not the same_

_Were different in a good way_

_Together's where we belong_

_All:_

_We're all in this together_

_Once we know_

_That we are_

_We're all stars_

_And we see that_

_We're all in this together_

_And it shows_

_When we stand_

_Hand in hand_

_Make our dreams come true_

_Together, together, together everyone_

_Together, together, come on lets have some fun_

_Together, were there for each other every time_

_Together together come on lets do this right_

_Aang:_

_We're all here_

_and speaking out with one voice_

_we're going to rock the house (YEAH YEAH!)_

_the party's on now everybody make some noise_

_come on scream and shout_

_Katara:_

_We've arrived because we stuck together_

_Champions one and all_

_All:_

_We're all in this together_

_Once we know_

_That we are_

_We're all stars_

_And we see that_

_We're all in this together_

_And it shows_

_When we stand_

_Hand in hand_

_Make our dreams come_

_We're all in this together_

_When we reach_

_We can fly_

_Know inside_

_We can make it_

_We're all in this together_

_Once we see_

_There's a chance_

_That we have_

_And we take it_

_Benders sing along_

_Yeah, you really got it goin' on_

_Benders in the house_

_Everybody say it now_

_Benders everywhere_

_Wave your hands up in the air_

_That's the way we do it_

_Lets get to it_

_Time to show the world_

Zuko and Mai, Katara and Aang, Sokka and Suki, and Haru and Ty Lee took turns dancing center stage during the instrumental part of the song. Then Zuko and Aang took center stage.

_We're all in this together_

_Once we know_

_That we are_

_We're all stars_

_And we see that_

_We're all in this together_

_And it shows_

_When we stand_

_Hand in hand_

_Make our dreams come true_

Katara and Toph joined the boys. The four benders were standing in a line according to the Avatar cycle: Aang, the airbender; Katara, the waterbender; Toph, the earthnbender; and Zuko, the firebender.

_We're all in this together_

_When we reach_

_We can fly_

_Know inside_

_We can make it_

_We're all in this together_

_Once we see_

_There's a chance_

_That we have_

_And we take it_

_Benders everywhere_

_Wave your hands up in the air_

_That's the way we do it_

_Let's get to it_

_Come on everyone!_

Everyone struck bending poses as the audience cheered and applauded.

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**Ok, the last chapter is going to be a songfic, but I can't decide which song to use. My choices are "Cherish The Moment" by the Cheetah Girls, "Now And Then" by Susannah Hoffs, and "These Days" by Chantal Kreviazuk.**


	26. Epilogue

1**All For One from HSM2 isn't the only song with the words "All for one" in it. ;) Anyway, I decided to use "Now and Then" by Susanna Hoffs. The song plays during the end credits of "Now and Then" starring Christina Ricci.**

**Or you can just watch and listen to a video of the song here:**

**http://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?vBVMd5YoQbUg**

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Chapter 26: Epilogue

_**Started out just like any summer**_

_**Days have felt the life time love**_

_**That's when we found each other**_

_**And we found ourselves oooh**_

Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph all sat outside the courtyard of the palace. It was the day after the birthday party. The four friends were taking a few minutes to relax before going their separate ways.

"Okay, so seriously," Sokka was saying. "Now that the war is over, what can we do? Keep on with the warrior training or bending in case another war breaks out?"

"Well, I still have to master firebending." Aang replied. "Plus water and earth. I'm jut going to stay at the south pole and work with Master Pakku with Katara until we master water. Then I'm moving back to the Earth Kingdom to finish my earthbending training, then Iroh's going to help me master fire."

"That sounds like a good plan." Katara nodded in approval.

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Don't have to look back**_

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**You're right here with me (ahhhh)**_

_**Now and then oooh my friend **_

_**Don't say good bye again**_

"I'm just going to live with my parents until I'm eighteen." Toph spoke up. "Then I'll either start my own earthbending academy or teach at one. What are you gonna do, Sokka?"

"Warrior training with Suki." Sokka answered. "Suki figured that she'll need it because..well, let's just say that she says she isn't as good as she thought she was."

"Wow, try saying _that_ five times fast!"Toph joked. The friends laughed.

Zuko walked up to the foursome. "Mind if I join you guys?"

Aang smiled. "Sure!"

_**Looking in your eyes was like a mirror**_

_**Every single joy and fear**_

_**All for one and one for all**_

_**Yeah we did it**_

_**All**_

Zuko knelt down and sighed. "You know, if you told me five years ago that my mother would marry into the water tribe and I became friends with people all over the world, I'd have thought you were drunk."

They all chuckled. Zuko continued.

"Years ago, I thought I knew everything about being a man and a Fire Lord. That the Fire Nation was the most powerful and greatest nation in the world. You four and my uncle showed me that I was wrong on so many levels." He chuckled. "I'm glad I was banished, and I'm glad I found you, Aang. If I hadn't, I would've grown to be the same as my father."

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Don't have to look back**_

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**You're right here with me (ahhhh)**_

_**Now and then oooh my friend **_

_**Don't say good bye again**_

Aang smiled at his friend. "I'm glad, too. And I can't imagine what would have happened had I not frozen myself in an iceberg."

"You wouldn't have met the four best friends in the whole world." Toph suggested. "It's destiny, isn't it?"

"Yeah...I think it is." Katara replied, smiling. Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Zuko smiled too. They laughed and formed a group hug.

_**I remember it was long, long ago**_

_**Right here, here inside**_

_**I know**_

Ursa and Hakoda got married at the oasis at the North Pole. They traveled to the Fire Nation every month to visit Zuko, Mai, and Iroh. Ursa and Hakoda had their first daughter together two years after their marriage. They named her after Hakoda's first wife and Sokka's and Katara's mother, Kaiya.

Ursa opened a clothing shop in the South Pole. Katara helped her with it after Kaiya was born. Kana died peacefully in here sleep when Kaiya was three years old.

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Don't have to look back**_

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**You're right here with me**_

_**Now and then ooh my friend **_

_**Don't say good bye again**_

Aang mastered the remaining three elements in three years. He went to the Eastern Air Temple to master the Avatar State. After three years of dating, Aang finally proposed to Katara, and the two got married a month and a half before the Winter Solstice. Katara began teaching at the school at the south pole and got pregnant with her first baby within a year of Aang's and her marriage.

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ooohh-ahhhhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhh-ahhhhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

Toph and Teo started dating a few weeks after Toph's fourteenth birthday. They broke up a few times before getting married on their fourth-year dating anniversary. They decided to live in Gaoling where Toph taught earthbending at Master Yu's old earthbending academy, now Master Toph's Earthbending Academy.

_**Looking in your eyes was like a mirror**_

_**Every single joy and fear**_

_**All for one and one for all**_

_**Yeah we did it**_

_**All**_

Ty Lee performed in the circus for two years until she married Haru. They moved to Haru's village where Ty Lee taught acrobatics and about the human body and it's weak points to non-benders.

Jin married Koji in Ba Sing Se and works in Pao's Tea Shop. She and Zuko are still friends and write to each other often.

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Now and then (now and then)**_

_**Now and then oooh my friend**_

_**Don't say good bye**_

_**Don't say good bye **_

_**Don't say good bye again**_

Sokka and Suki finished up their warrior training at the North Pole. After threeyears of dating and breakups, they got married a few weeks before the Spring Solstice.The two decided to live at the South Pole with Sokka's family, and frequently visit Kyoshi Island.

On Ji continued going to school and became a master firebender in two years. She and Shoji began dating a few months after that and got married a year later.

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhh-ahhhhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhhhh-ahhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhhhh-ahhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhhhh-ahhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhhhh-ahhh**_

_**Ahhhhh**_

_**Ohhhhhhh-ahhh**_

_**Ahhhh**_

Iroh continued working in his tea shop. He frequently visited his step-family and brought presents for the babies. He thought about dating again and came to the conclusion that he's happy the way he is. Family, friends, and a tea shop were enough to keep him happy.

Last but not least, Mai and Zuko. They got married on the new year. Zuko continued the tradition of going to Ember Island every Summer. His friends and family came, and the beach house was restored and another addition was added on to fit all of those extra people. Zuko also included Mai in some of his meetings with his advisers. She was asked her opinion and was often praised. Mai and Zuko had their baby four years after their marriage. They decided to name her Maeko.

'_I like to think that fate brought Aang, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, and everyone else I know including myself together that summer.'_ Katara recollected in her memoir. _'Even as we look to our future, we'll never forget our past and everything we've gone through together. No matter what we do or where we go, we'll always have each other to lean on. Leaving the South Pole and finding Aang was the best thing that's ever happened to me. We made new friends, met up with old friends, learned new things, and had so many adventures. Now that we've gone down separate paths, it seems that nothing will ever be the same. And some things never will be. But looking back now, I realized that our lives changed because they had to. And I know now that no matter how far we've traveled on our own different paths, we'll always find some way back to each other. With that, we can get through anything. To us. Who we were and who we are, and who we'll be. To the Avatar and the Fire Lord. To this moment and that summer for the rest of our lives. Together and apart. All for one and one for all.'_

THE END

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**Phew! I thought I'd never finish this! XD Anyway, Katara's memoir excerpt was from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie just so you know. Hehe. I might get started on the sequel later rather than sooner, because I have so many fics I want to do. -glances at my fanfic ideas in my profile-**


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